In a surprising turn of events, Mike Flanagan has signed a multi-year deal with Amazon Studios. As recently as October 1, Netflix were touting what they dubbed the “Flanaverse” – as they have been home to all of his shows and movies (apart from Doctor Sleep) since 2017.
Netflix is the home of Flanagan’s horror movie Gerald’s Game (2017). He has also spawned a succession of highly successful and critically-acclaimed horror series for the streaming service, beginning with The Haunting of Hill House (2018). He followed this up with The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020), Midnight Mass (2021), and The Midnight Club (2022). His next series – The Fall of the House of Usher – will be released on Netflix in 2023.
But now, Flanagan and his collaborator Trevor Macy have signed an exclusive multiyear overall series deal with Amazon Studios, in another blow to Netflix. “Amazon is a studio that we have long admired,” said Flanagan and Macy. “Their commitment to engaging in groundbreaking series and content aligns with the ethos of what we have built at Intrepid. We are looking forward to working with the entire Amazon team as we bring our brand of genre productions to the service and audiences around the globe.”
Netflix has been under scrutiny a lot in 2022, with many people questioning their business strategy. Netflix posted a record loss in April, and announced plans to introduce an advertising tier. They continue to make bizarre choices, such as putting Knives Out sequel Glass Onion into theatres for one week, instead of making more money from it.
Mike Flanagan was a flagship Netflix name, but when his overall deal with Netflix wraps up after The Fall of the House of Usher, it looks as though he hasn’t been given enough of an incentive to renew the contract.
While we wait to find out what movies and shows Flanagan will be bringing to his new home on Amazon Prime, check out our guide to find out what Amazon Prime horror movies are already available on the service.