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Haunting of Hill House Star Might Return for Bly Manor as New Character
The Haunting of Hill House star Carla Gugino might return for season 2, titled The Haunting of Bly Manor, but as an entirely new character. The chilling first season premiered last fall, but fans will have to wait until 2020 for the return of Mike Flanagan and Netflix's horror series. They have already begun production on season 2, however, and it looks like there is a possibility for the return of the season 1 cast member.
Netflix teased the new season, including the title, release year, and inspiration for the film back in February, and they also revealed that the show will be an anthology, much like American Horror Story. Whether or not the show will re-use the same cast members has yet to be seen, but what is confirmed is that there will be all new characters, and a new setting too. Season 2 will be based on Henry James 1898 novella, The Turn of the Screw, which has similarities to the themes and setting of season 1, which was based on Shirley Jackson's 1959 gothic horror novel The Haunting of Hill House. In James' novella, a governess travels to a mysterious English estate, called Bly Manor, and cares for two parent-less children, Miles and Flora, who are under their absentee uncle's guardianship. Much like in Jackson's novel, and in season one of the Netflix series, Bly Manor is haunted by ghosts and uncanny events. While the cast has yet to be announced, one cast member from season 1 has expressed the desire to partake in season 2.
In a promotional interview for her new Cinemax series, Jett, with The Wrap, Carla Gugino confirmed that she has been talking with the show's creator, Mike Flanagan, about her potential return to the horror anthology show. While fans should not be expecting to see the return of her season 1 character, the mother/matriarch, and ghost, Olivia Crain, she could return as a new character. Gugino said in this interview that she had been "talking a lot" with Flanagan, and added, "Well, I can’t say anything definitive at this point, other than Mike and I really love collaborating and working together and any opportunity where a schedule allows for us to do that, we will, and I would be honored to". If her busy schedule will allow her to appear as a series regular, or simply in a cameo or two, has yet to be seen, but her return may mean the potential for the return of other actors from season one. "So we’re talking a lot about it and we’ll just see if all schedules allow,” she added, ending her statement with the following: “All I can say is I’m very excited for Season 2 and to see what Mike does.”
Gugino isn't the only character to hint about a possible return. Oliver Jackson-Cohen also spoke about Bly Manor and stated that he would "get shot" if he said anything about his potential involvement. Netflix and Flanagan are doing a good job at keeping the details hush, but despite not knowing the cast, we do know a few things already. Gugino's enthusiasm about returning to the series, and Jackson-Cohen's vow of secrecy, seems to confirm, however, at least the possibility that multiple actors will be returning.
Fans will have to wait to know for sure if their season 1 favorites will be returning or not, but hopefully more details will be released before the second season's premiere in 2020. In the meantime, there is plenty of time for fans to read Henry James' novel, if they are curious about the potential plot of season 2. The Haunting of Hill House was one of Netflix's most chilling horror series, and if season 1 was any indication, The Haunting of Bly Manor should be just as spine-tingling.
