Filmmaker Mike Flanagan may not go back to the well that created his horror hitMidnight Massfor quite some time. The show, which he created and directed, was a horror miniseries that starred an ensemble cast that included Kate Siegel, Zach Gilford, Igby Rigney, Kristin Lehman, Samantha Sloyan, Rahul Kohli, Annabeth Gish, Alex Essoe, Matt Biedel, Michael Trucco, Henry Thomas, and, Hamish Linklater, many of whom have collaborated with Flanagan on other projects.Midnight Masswas a critical smash success, earning a Certified Fresh 87% score on Rotten Tomatoes and going on to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy.
TheMike Flanagan Netflix horrorproject is one of many well-regarded works the filmmaker has helmed over the course of his career, the majority of which have been in the horror genre. In fact, over the course of his career, he hasnever directed anything that has earned a splat on Rotten Tomatoes, with the closest he has come to earning a Rotten score being the 2016 Jacob Tremblay fantasy-horror movieBefore I Wake, which had a delayed 2018 theatrical release after its festival premiere. However, there is one major facet of his earlier career missing from his upcoming filmography.
Every Mike Flanagan Movie & TV Show, Ranked From Least To Most Terrifying
Filmmaker Mike Flanagan has become synonymous with top-notch horror projects, but some of his movies and TV shows deliver better scares than others.
Mike Flanagan’s Future Projects Are Stephen King Adaptations & Horror Reboots
He Is Working Exclusively With Well-Known IP
Just as he frequently collaborates with the same actors, Flanagan has found himself frequently adapting the works of Stephen King with projects including the moviesGerald’s Game,Doctor Sleep, and theupcomingThe Life of Chuck. His King adaptations, along with works adapting a variety of other horror authors, have seen him working primarily in IP-driven properties in recent years rather than creating original projects. In fact,his entire upcoming slate of work is entirely composed of adaptations and reboots, as can be seen below:
Confirmed - Coming in 2025
The Dark TowerSeries
Rights Acquired
Two of theupcoming Mike Flanagan movies and TV showsare King adaptations while the third, a new installment in Blumhouse’s arm of theExorcistfranchise, is an entry in a movie franchise inspired by the original novel by William Peter Blatty.He had also been working on an adaptation of the Christopher Pike novelThe Season of Passage, which is no longer moving forward after being announced in 2021.
Mike Flanagan’s 2022 Netflix seriesThe Midnight Clubwas also a Christopher Pike adaptation.
Even when expanding beyond the scope of his work as a director,his new and upcoming projects are all derivative works in some way shape or form. This includes a segment he wrote for the found footage anthology sequelV/H/S/Beyond, which was was directed by his frequent collaborator and wife Kate Siegel. He is likewise set to appear in the role of Peter in the remake of the cult movieThe Room, titledThe Room Returns!, which he also produced.
Mike Flanagan’s Last Original Project Was Midnight Mass
He Has Exclusively Made Adaptations For Three Years
In addition to his upcoming slate of projects being entirely made up of adaptations and franchise projects, Mike Flanaganhas not made an original project sinceMidnight Masspremiered on Netflix in September 2021. IncludingThe Life of Chuck, which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, betweenMidnight Massand the time of writing, he has released three projects. The other two were the Christopher Pike adaptationThe Midnight Cluband the Edgar Allan Poe adaptationThe Fall of the House of Usher.
BothThe Midnight ClubandThe Fall of the House of Usherwere Netflix streaming series just likeMidnight Mass.
In the lead-up toMidnight Mass,Mike Flanagan had already begun dabbling in adaptations and franchise filmmakingoutside of his Stephen King movies. This began when he re-teamed with Blumhouse after partnering with the studio on his moviesOculusandHushby making the prequelOuiija: Origin of Evilin 2016. His first Netflix series to make a splash,The Haunting of Hill House, was also an adaptation, bringing to life the 1959 Shirley Jackson novel of the same name, while its follow-upThe Haunting of Bly Manoradapted the Henry James novellaThe Turn of the Screw.
Will Mike Flanagan Do More Original Projects?
The Prospect Seems Likely
While Mike Flanagan’s post-Midnight Massfilmography has taken a turn away from original horror, it seems likely that he will eventually return to original storytelling. The fact that he madeMidnight Massin the first place after a run of successful adaptations shows thathe was willing to put his weight behind a project without a foundation in an existing story. Especially if he continues to find similar success with his upcoming adaptations, it seems probable that he will continue to use his clout to pursue original stories that interest him when his schedule allows for it.
Midnight Mass
Created and directed by Mike Flanagan, Midnight Mass follows the residents of an isolated fishing community whose lives are changed by the sudden appearance of a charismatic new priest, Father Paul Hill (Hamish Linklater). The residents of Crockett Island struggle to eke out a meager living, just barely surviving off the mainland, but the appearance of Hill changes everything. Attendance at the local church is at an all-time high, but cynical ex-con Riley Flynn doesn’t trust the priest, and sets out to uncover his dark secret.
