Something wicked this way comes, and it has Guillermo del Toro’s signature style all over it. We’re pretty excited about Crimson Peak here at Nerdist HQ. Starring Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, and Jessica Chastain, the del Toro-directed gothic romance features a spooky house, creepy ghosts, and a classic mystery. With lavish production design, murders most foul, and some truly terrifying set pieces, Crimson Peak is one of the most beautifully haunting films of the year. But make no mistake — it isn’t a horror movie; del Toro went out of his way on Twitter to make that much clear.

One last time before release. Crimson Peak: not a horror film. A Gothic Romance. Creepy, tense, but full of emotion… Like my dancing!

— Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) October 10, 2015

The film follows an aspiring author named Edith (Mia Wasikowska) as she marries the mysterious, charming Sir Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston), and is whisked away to his secluded yet dilapidated mansion in the English countryside. Yet the two aren’t alone — not only is Thomas’ stern sister Lady Lucille (Jessica Chastain) living with them, but so are a host of dark secrets. As Edith spends more time in the house, she begins to uncover secrets that she wasn’t never meant to learn, and encounters monsters both living and deceased.

Sounds creepy, right? Recently, I sat down with del Toro and the cast to talk about bringing the world of Crimson Peak to life and what it took to get Mr. Hiddleston to put on his dancing shoes at the turn of the 20th century.

Crimson Peak is in theaters now! You can read our review right here.

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Featured Image Credit: Universal Pictures

Clarke Wolfe writes Horror Happenings for Nerdist every Sunday. You can follow her on Twitter @clarkewolfe.

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