“I know wickedness is coming. I feel it,” says Taissa Farmiga in our exclusive clip from “We Have Always Lived in the Castle.” Stacie Passon’s adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s 1962 novel sees sisters Merricat (Farmiga) and Constance (Alexandra Daddario) and their uncle Julian (Crispin Glover) living in a creepy manor full of family secrets.
The girls’ father died under mysterious circumstances, leading townspeople to suspect that he may have been a victim of foul play, and that his daughters could be witches.
“I read ‘Castle’ first when I was in high school. It is smart, suspenseful, dark satire,” Passon said in her director’s statement. “The story, narrated by an 18-year old sociopathic girl named Merricat Blackwood, is a rich mix of American political and social commentary. The themes of isolation, gender, [and] class warfare seem even more relevant today. Merricat is herself privileged, and charmingly pathological — sort of a cross between Daria and Lizzie Borden. Her sister, Constance is the other half of Shirley Jackson’s brain — kind, nurturing, and world weary. At its heart, it’s a home invasion story,” she observed. “Merricat will stop at nothing to protect her castle from the interlopers who threaten her little utopia.”
Passon made her feature debut with 2013’s “Concussion.” Her TV credits include “Transparent,” “Halt and Catch Fire,” and Netflix’s upcoming “Tales of the City” revival.
“We Have Always Lived in the Castle” hits theaters and VOD May 17. Check out the clip to see “American Horror Story: Coven” alumna Farmiga dipping back into magic and casting a spell in the hopes of protecting Constance.
https://vimeo.com/334963061/a00da9d45f
