This week, Amazon Prime Video announced an all-new installment ofWelcome to the Blumhouse, featuring a slate of four new thriller movies from emerging and predominantly female directors produced by Blumhouse Television and Amazon Studios — and Collider can exclusively reveal an official image fromThe Manor, set to premiere on the streamer this October.
The Manorhails from director Axelle Carolyn, and stars the legendaryBarbara Hersheyas Judith Albright, a woman who moves to an assisted-living home after suffering a mild stroke. In spite of any and all attempts by the staff to reassure her that she has nothing to fear from Golden Sun Manor, Judith remains convinced that there is a sinister presence haunting the facility — and even her own family dismisses her warnings as the product of a troubled mind.
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Carolyn told Collider that when it came to makingThe Manor, for which she also wrote the script, she drew major inspiration from one iconic horror movie: “The movie I referenced the most while writing was probablyRosemary’s Baby. But I’m a huge fan of gothic horror, fromThe Hauntingto Hammer Films and everything in between, so when it came to filming, a lot of my references went in that direction. It was all about bringing in some gothic elements, like our location, while keeping it fairly grounded.”
Choosing the setting for the film itself, Carolyn says, was rooted in her own family history. “Both my grandfather and my dad ended up in nursing homes, and visiting them left lasting impressions on me. Even the nicest homes confront you to your own mortality. And from a horror standpoint, you’re confined to a house, a room, or even a bed — there’s no escape. So as a setting, it seemed both thematically rich, and really scary.”
Of course, collaborating with an actress of Hershey’s particular caliber was as delightful as it sounds, and Carolyn also shared her hopes for the film, especially in regards to the mysteries surroundingThe Manor’s ending:
“Barbara was such a joy to work with! Incredibly prepared, ready for anything. I wanted her character Judith to be aspirational, really — she’s fun, rebellious, charismatic, caring. I think Barbara embodied all those qualities perfectly. I can’t wait for people to meet Judith. The nature of the supernatural menace she’s facing will hopefully have people guessing a bit. And I’m hoping the ending will have them questioning their choices…”
Directed and written by Carolyn,The Manoralso starsBruce Davison,Nicholas Alexander,Jill Larsen,Fran Bennett, andKatie Amanda Keane, and is executive produced byJason Blum,Jeremy Gold,Marci Wiseman,Lisa Bruce,Sandy King, andRichard J Bosner.
All four newWelcome to the Blumhousefilms premiere worldwide this October exclusively on Prime Video, withBingo HellandBlack As Nightavailable to stream on October 1, followed byMadresandThe Manoron October 8.
