Mike Flanagan - TV Tropes

Mike Flanagan (born May 20, 1978 in Salem, Massachusetts) is an American director and screenwriter.

He primarily works in the horror genre and made his name with his films in this wheelhouse, all of which he directed, wrote, and edited. He has also created several horror shows for Netflix, starting with The Haunting of Hill House (2018), which was based on Shirley Jackson's novel of the same name.

A lifelong Stephen King fan, Flanagan emerged in the late 2010s and early 2020s as the preeminent adapter of King's work, tackling stories — Gerald's Game most prominently — that were widely considered unadaptable (Flanagan said that when he approached King about adapting the three-part novella Life of Chuck, King's reaction was an amused "Well, I guess, if you think that's a movie"). Aside from Gerald's Game and Life of Chuck, Flanagan also adapted Doctor Sleep in an ambitious effort to synthesize The Shining, Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of that novel (which King famously hated), and Doctor Sleep. The movie was a massive box office bomb, but apparently it did help King make a bit of peace with Kubrick's Shining adaptation. Flanagan has also done some voice acting in episodes of the anthology horror podcasts The No Sleep Podcast and The Antiquarium of Sinister Happenings.

Flanagan has said that making an adaptation of The Dark Tower is his biggest dream. He acquired the rights to the books in 2022 and has, as of 2025, written several "screenplays and pitches" related to the series according to Stephen King. Considering the long and tortured history of attempted Dark Tower adaptations, however, there's no guarantee anything will come of it. He also hopes to adapt Richard Matheson's Hell House.

He's married to Kate Siegel and they have two children together.

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Filmography:

• Absentia (2011)
• Oculus (2013)
• Hush (2016)
• Before I Wake (2016)
• Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016)
• Gerald's Game (2017)
• The Haunting series
  • The Haunting of Hill House (2018) (2018)
  • The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)^note 
• Doctor Sleep (2019)
• Midnight Mass (2021)
• The Midnight Club (2022)^note 
• The Fall of the House of Usher (2023) ^note 
• The Life of Chuck (2025)
• Untitled Clayface Project (TBA)^note 
• Carrie (miniseries adaptation) (TBA)
• The Dark Tower (miniseries adaptation) (TBA)

Tropes & Trivia in his works:

• The Alcoholic: A recurring theme in his works is alcoholism and the damaging effects it has on both the alcoholic and those around them, with Doctor Sleep and Midnight Mass (2021) both focusing heavily on the lead character's efforts to maintain sobriety. He has said it's based in part around his own struggles and efforts to get sober that began in 2018.
• Anyone Can Die: No character is safe in Mike Flanagan's films, especially his protagonists.
• Creator Couple: With his wife Kate Siegel, who acts in almost all of his projects and co-wrote Hush with him.
• Creator In-Joke: The Lasser Glass from Oculus will at times make its appearances in his films with the exception of Absentia.
• Creator Thumbprint: In every one of Flanagan’s projects, there will be someone (or something) with unearthly, glowing irises, glinting from the darkness… and every time, it will be creepy as hell.
• Dysfunctional Family: A recurring element in his work between Oculus, Before I Wake, The Haunting of Hill House, and The Fall of the House of Usher.
• Parents as People: Played for drama and even horror in Oculus, Before I Wake and The Haunting of Hill House.
• Production Posse: Flanagan has a core group of actors he works with on just about all of his projects. They include his wife Kate Siegel, as well as Henry Thomas, Carla Gugino, and Elizabeth Reaser. Rahul Kohli, Bruce Greenwood, Victoria Pedretti, Samantha Sloyan, Alex Essoe, and Katie Parker have also appeared in multiple works of his.
• Raven Hair, Ivory Skin: Almost all his works have female leads or major characters who have dark hair and pale skin.
• Signature Style: He sticks to the Psychological Horror genre.
  • Bittersweet Endings are usually his foray as well, as they seem to go more than just straight Downer Endings.
  • Exploring the relationships between estranged and troubled family members.
  • Lean and Mean ghosts, demons, and even human characters who prefer to stick to the shadows.
  • Especially in his Netflix shows, characters have a tendency to go on long monologues that are often shot in one long take.
• Statuesque Stunner: If his works have a central female character, she'll likely be tall and very good-looking.

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