Netflix Releases First Trailer For 'The House' Stop-Motion Anthology

Netflix have had a pretty impressive year in animation. From major studio family fare like The Mitchells Vs The Machines and Vivo, to adult animation like America The Motion Picture, Trese and Inside Job, anime like Eden, Goldzilla Singular Point to groundbreaking originals like Arcane and Maya And The Three. And it seems like they're starting off 2022 as they mean to go on, with adult animated anthology The House arriving in January.

The House is new territory for Netflix, and in fact, it's a pretty unusual proposition for commercial animation. It features three separate stories surrounding the residents of the titular London dwelling, with each segment produced by one of the leading names in independent stop-motion animation: Emma de Swaef and Marc Roels, Niki Lindroth von Bahr and Paloma Baeza. Animation was produced at London's Nexus Studios.

Described as an eccentric dark comedy, the episodes will differ somewhat in style but will share a similar tone. After earlier releasing first-look images, Netflix have now also released the first trailer. It looks even better in motion, with some beautiful sets and model-building. And in terms of the mood, it's clear that The House is making the most of stop-motion's capacity for creepiness. If you are one of those viewers who finds stop-motion somewhat unsettling, this might be a tricky watch. For the rest of us though, it's looking pretty spectacular.

Although the crew is international, the anthology seems to have a distinctly British feel, and will feature an eclectic cast of top UK talent including Mia Goth, Matthew Goode, Claudie Blakley, Mark Heap, Joshua McGuire, Stephanie Cole, Miranda Richardson, Jarvis Cocker, and Helena Bonham-Carter.  Still, it looks very different indeed from December's stop-motion new specials from UK animation studio Aardman, Robin Robin and the new Shaun The Sheep short.

The House will arrive on Netflix worldwide on January 14, 2022.

 

 • Story 1, directed by Marc James Roels & Emma de Swaef: Set in the 1800s, impoverished Raymond meets a mysterious benefactor who promises to restore both him and his family to their former status. The family soon learns that wants and desires may not always lead you where you expect.

 • Story 2, directed by Niki Lindroth von Bahr: Set in the present day, a harassed property developer tries to make a quick sale from a renovation. However, some eerie unexpected guests have other plans and become the catalyst to a more personal transformation 

• Story 3, directed by Paloma Baeza: Set in the near future, the house survives a hugely changed landscape. We meet Rosa, a young landlady determined to stay in her beloved crumbling house and restore it to its former glory. But Rosa’s unrealistic vision has blinded her to the inevitable change that is coming and to what matters most.