Warning: Contains Spoilers
Few shows have frightened me quite as much as The Haunting of Hill House, a series that makes American Horror Story feel like a light-hearted watch in comparison.
Exquisitely crafted down to the finest details, Hill House gave me the sensation of actually wandering – alone and followed – around an old gothic mansion. I loved every creepy minute of it.
From ghouls lurking in the shadows to jump scares capable of ripping the breath from your lungs, Hill House takes the viewer’s understanding of terror and ramps it up a notch. It would appear season two will be an even more extreme experience.
Speaking with Nylon, Victoria Pedretti – who played the ill-fated Nell – opened up about what viewers can expect from season two. Spoiler alert – it’s not going to delve into cosy family sitcom territory.
Pedretti, 24, – who has since starred as duplicitous Love Quinn in You – said:
I’m really excited about it. In some ways, it is [more intense] than season one. It’s its own thing. Even though it’s the second season of a show that I’ve been in before, almost everything is different.
Pedretti also dropped a few hints about the new character she will be playing in the upcoming season, titled The Haunting of Bly Manor – a young governess by the name of Dani.
Much like season one, which was based on Shirley Jackson’s classic novel, the next season will also draw from literature, and is loosely based on Henry James’ The Turning of the Screw. Anyone familiar with this eerie novella will know the governess isn’t in for an easy time of it.
Speaking about the differences between Nell and Dani, Pedretti – who dyed her hair honey blonde for the role – said:
She’s completely different; nothing like [her season one character] Nell. I don’t know why that’s so funny to me. I am not a blonde.
Interestingly, although Nell and Dani may be poles apart, there are actually surprisingly uncanny similarities between Nell and You’s Love.
Both young widows, Nell and Love are also both sisters to a vulnerable twin brother with addiction issues. The twin theme will continue as we enter Bly Manor, with Dani put in charge of caring for a pair of creepy, orphaned twins.
Moving away from the saga of the hopelessly unlucky Craine family, Bly Manor will give viewers a brand new narrative and cast of characters, albeit with some familiar faces.
This time around, the action will move to England, where Dani and her two young charges will be terrorised by the ghosts of a man and a woman at a remote country house.
Although an exact date has yet to be given, Bly Manor is scheduled to swoop into your Netflix account at some point in 2020.
But as Hill House landed in October 2018, many fans are confident we could be getting season two either on or around Halloween – bringing tricks and treats galore.
As excited as I am to return to this seriously spooky universe, I’m really going to have to build up my tolerance to horror over the coming months if I am to cope with an even more ‘intense’ offering…
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.