Stephen King Calls This Director the “Quentin Tarantino of Horror” After Netflix Hit

Stephen King has given high praise to director Mike Flanagan, calling him the “Quentin Tarantino of horror” for his work on the Netflix series The Fall of the House of Usher.

King admitted he only recently watched the 2023 adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s story and was impressed by Flanagan’s direction.

“THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER (Netflix): I missed this when it bowed due to hip surgery, but this is a case of delayed gratification. Scary, involving, with writing that’s witty and moves the plot. There’s a case to be made for Mike Flanagan being the Quentin Tarantino of horror,” King wrote in a recent post.

The series was an immediate hit on Netflix, drawing six million viewers in its first week and rising to 7.9 million the following week. It quickly became one of the most-watched English-language programs on the platform.

Critics have also praised it, giving the show a 91% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes with an average score of 7.9/10. Metacritic similarly rated the show 73 out of 100, indicating generally favorable reviews. Critics particularly highlighted the performances of Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, and Mark Hamill, as well as the production, directing, and editing.

Flanagan has previously gained recognition for adapting several of King’s works into films and series, but this project shows his versatility, successfully tackling classic literature outside of King’s novels.

The series mixes Poe’s dark storytelling with Flanagan’s modern horror sensibilities, earning both critical and audience acclaim.

In my opinion, it’s impressive to see King recognize a director outside of his own adaptations. Flanagan clearly knows how to capture the essence of horror across different sources, and the success of The Fall of the House of Usher proves it. What do you think about King’s comparison of Flanagan to Tarantino? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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