The first season of Hulu’s Castle Rock was something of a mixed bag, with some excellent episodes let down by an arguably muddled ending. The second year of the series, which combines Stephen King mythology in new ways, will focus on Annie Wilkes (Lizzy Caplan) arriving in Castle Rock and apparently bringing a whole lot of trouble with her.
Hulu have now released a full trailer that shows off Wilkes’ various attributes, while also giving us a glimpse at the season’s doubling down on actors with past King roles, as well as some familiar locations. The preview, which you can see above, kicks off with a road sign for “Shawshank State Prison,” and Caplan’s Wilkes driving with her daughter, presumably to Castle Rock.
A voiceover by Wilkes sets up her role as a “searcher,” while we see clues to her troubling personality as her nursing duties include swiping some antipsychotics. The series appears to be set in 2019, with the town celebrating its 400th anniversary, likely meaning that the continuity with Wilkes in Misery is being shelved for now.
Speaking of Shawshank, we get Tim Robbins as a grouchy store owner who’s mistrustful of Wilkes, and an introduction to some of the many problems plaguing Castle Rock. We also get some of Wilkes’ more famous phrases, including “cock-a-doodie” and hints of her violent past. Furthermore, we see some signs of Castle Rock’s history, including what appears to be a hefty degree of witchcraft, all of which Robbins’ character seems aware of. A few teases of the Marsten House and Jerusalem’s Lot similarly whet our appetites for a crossover with Salem’s Lot.
Of course, this is all very exciting for King fans, who can also look forward to a new social media promo on October 2nd showing a drive through the various Maine locations connected to Castle Rock. The second season of Castle Rock, meanwhile, will premiere on October 23rd via Hulu, and if pulled off, promises to be a wild tribute to King’s work.