Netflix has dropped the first official trailer for upcoming anthology series The House – and it may be the streamer's creepiest TV production in a long time.
The adult stop-motion miniseries, which will be released on January 14, 2022, is billed as an "eccentric dark comedy" by Netflix. And, judging by its first creepy, unnerving and downright bizarre teaser, that's putting things mildly.
There are dancing cockroaches, cults of anthropomorphic cats and mice, Exorcist-style horror, and lashings of Tim Burton, David Lynch, David Firth and even Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox interspersed throughout. Consider us sold, then.
Check out the official trailer for Netflix's The House below:
Little is know about The House's overarching narrative, but Netflix's official synopsis hints at what it'll entail. The House will tell "three surreal tales of the individuals who made it their home". And, based on what we've seen so far, it appears as if each of The House's stories will be set in different realities but be interconnected somehow.
Each of The House's tales have been directed by some of the leading voices in independent stop-motion animation, too. Emma de Swaef and Marc Roels (This Magnificent Cake), Niki Lindroth von Bahr (Bath House) and Paloma Baeza (Poles Apart) are the visionaries by The House's unusual and at-times chilling aesthetics. Actors including Mia Goth (Suspiria, Emma), Matthew Goode (The King's Man), Miranda Richardson (Good Omens) and Helena Bonham Carter (Sweeney Todd, Corpse Bride) will lend their voices to The House's eclectic cast of characters.
The House has been produced by Nexus Studios, the company behind Billie Eilish's 'Happier Than Ever' animated film and an augmented reality experience for Marvel Studios' Eternals, the first such project that's been created for the comic book giant.
The House launches exclusively on Netflix on January 14, 2022.
Analysis: Netflix's catalog of unnerving TV projects grows
Netflix hasn't been shy about growing its selection of disturbing, frightening and horror-infused projects in recent years.
Black Mirror, His House, Mike Flanagan's Midnight Mass and 'The Haunting of' franchise, the Fear Street trilogy and Stranger Things have all wowed, unnerved and terrified audiences in equal measure since the company began developing its own originals from 2013 onwards. And, given how well these productions have performed – among subscribers and by making it onto critics' end of year lists – it's unsurprising that Netflix is doubling down on making more content of this ilk.
Sure, the streaming giant can afford to take such risks with projects like The House. Netflix is still the biggest streaming service around and, with its vast cash reserves, for every project that fails to capture viewers' attention, there are three others – like Squid Game, Arcane and The Witcher – that become worldwide phenomenons.
As more people with different tastes sign up to the platform, too, demand for unique films and TV series grows within its subscriber base. Projects like The House, then, will attract some viewers at the very least.
But word of mouth is a major component of which TV shows and movies become overnight Netflix sensations. And, based on its intriguingly creepy trailer, The House could end up being something of a sleeper hit for the streamer. If enough people are interested by its teaser, and equally marvel at its aesthetic, style and tone when it's released next month, it could surprise a lot of people.
- These are the best Netflix movies to watch right now
