Not all heroes wear capes, and not all comic book movies are about superheroes. This has been the case for a number of years, and will continue to be that way, especially with upcoming book-to-screen adaptations like The Killer. David Fincher’s long-in-the-works movie based on Alexis Nolent and Luc Jacamon’s French graphic novel series will be coming to Netflix by the end of the 2023 movie schedule, bringing with it a story about a deadly assassin with a change of heart, and other dilemmas.
If this is the first you’re hearing about the movie starring Michael Fassbender, Tilda Swinton, and several others, don’t worry, because we have you more than covered. With information on its release date, cast, story, and so much more, here’s everything we know about The Killer.
What Is The Killer Release Date?
The Killer is scheduled to be released for anyone with a Netflix subscription on November 10, 2023, as revealed by the streamer in its 2023 film preview video posted at the beginning of the year. The movie will also have a brief theatrical rollout several weeks earlier on October 27th in select markets throughout the country.
Michael Fassbender Leads The Killer Cast
When the movie arrives, it will see Michael Fassbender in the lead role. The X-Men star’s involvement in David Fincher’s upcoming graphic novel adaptation was reported on by Deadline back in early 2021, a time in which details about the project weren’t yet set in stone. That October, Tilda Swinton told The Playlist that she was going to co-star in the assassin thriller, but the Academy Award winner didn’t have too many details on it.
Well, The Killer cast became a lot more concrete in January 2023, when Deadline shared the details of Netflix’s massive movie slate for the upcoming year. In addition to info about the story, the report also confirmed that Tilda Swinton would be appearing in the film, with Charles Parnell, Arliss Howard, and Sophie Charlotte rounding out the cast.
The Killer Trailer Introduces Michael Fassbender’s Assassin And Teases David Fincher’s Visual Style
In August 2023, Netflix and David Fincher finally gave the world a proper, albeit brief, look at the upcoming crime thriller with the first trailer for The Killer. Clocking in at a little over a minute-and-a-half (less than that if you take out the Netflix logos and information), the preview is a fast and furious display of action sequences, inner monologues that sound like something from a meditation retreat, and phones being smashed. So many phones…
Though we’re still left with a great number of questions after watching the teaser, at least we have a better understanding of what the movie will feel like. Those familiar with Fincher’s body of work will see traces of classics like Fight Club, Se7en, and even The Game throughout the brief trailer, which is honestly getting us even more excited for what’s to come.
The Killer Follows An Assassin As He Develops A Conscience
When news about The Killer first started to pick up steam in early 2021, just months after David Fincher’s Mank landed on Netflix, The Hollywood Reporter published a story about the project that provided some key insight into the story. According to that report, the thriller will follow Fassbender’s assassin as he begins to develop a conscience after years of holding back the psychological damage of being a decorated and prolific contract killer. But, this change of heart will ultimately put the hitman at odds with his employers and himself.
About The Graphic Novel
First published in October 1998 (around the time David Fincher was working on Fight Club), writer Alexis Nolent, a.k.a, Matz, and illustrator Luc Jacamon unleashed upon the world The Killer. Over the course of the next two decades, Nolent and Jacamon would release multiple installments in the sprawling series, one that told the story of an assassin as he goes from a killer with nerves of steel to a man on the verge of a psychological breakdown, according to Simon & Schuster.
The complete collection, totaling 768 pages, is still available to purchase if you want to read up on the complex and incredibly violent psychological thriller before the film adaptation comes out this fall.
David Fincher And Se7en Screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker Adapted The Killer Into A Movie
Though Andrew Kevin Walker served as a script doctor for Fincher films like The Game and Fight Club, he hasn’t written a movie for the filmmaker since they first worked together on Se7en back in 1995. Well, that changes now, as the pair who created one of the best psychological thrillers of all time have teamed up for The Killer, according to The Hollywood Reporter. However, it should be noted that Walker wrote an episode of Fincher’s animated sci-fi anthology series, Love & Robots, in 2022.
In the years since breaking out with his Se7en script, Walker has gone on to write movies like 8mm, Sleepy Hollow, The Wolfman, and most recently, Windfall.
David Fincher Has Been Developing The Killer For A Decade-And-A-Half
Much like with Mank, which is still one of the best movies on Netflix, David Fincher has been trying to get The Killer off the ground for a number of years. In fact, the filmmaker has been developing the graphic novel adaptation for the past decade-and-a-half, according to Collider.
Fincher’s plans go all the way back to November 2007, when Variety announced that the director would be teaming up with Brad Pitt and his Plan B Entertainment for a film that would be released by Paramount Pictures. For unknown reasons, the project never moved forward, and it wouldn’t gain any momentum until nearly 14 years later.
David Fincher Wanted ‘James Bond By Way Of Home Depot’ For The Look And Feel Of The Killer And Its Assassin
Over the years, the lion’s share of spy and assassin movies have centered on cool contract killers with great suits, an assortment of great high-performance vehicles, and an arsenal of cool tech and weaponry. But instead of going for a fancy and classy character like 007, David Fincher has told the New York Times that he wanted something a little more grounded and dorky:
I was like, ‘I want James Bond by way of Home Depot.’ By the end of this, you should be like, who’s the guy in the rental car line with you, and why is he wearing that outdated hat? You ignore the German tourist at your peril.
Earlier in the interview, Fincher revealed that Fassbender’s character’s general aesthetic was inspired by a German tourist he saw on the streets of Paris. After seeing them wearing clothes that “could be purchased in an airport,” the director sent photos to his costume designer and said that’s what the character needed to look like. He would go on to say that “the $3,000 suit seems like it’s played out,” and that he wanted someone who looked “a little dorky.”
The Killer Will Feature Numerous Songs From Iconic English Rock Band The Smiths
In addition to featuring a score composed by Oscar winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who have worked on every one of his movies since The Social Network, David Fincher will also include several tracks from one of the more iconic English rock bands from the ‘80s: The Smiths. When speaking at a press conference at the Venice Film Festival (via IndieWire) in September 2023, Fincher explained his reasoning behind including so much of the band’s music, saying:
Trent and Atticus are our first call, and if they choose to return the call, I deem myself lucky. The Smiths were a post-production addition because I knew I wanted to use ‘How Soon is Now?’ and I love the idea of that song specifically as a tool for assuaging [Michael Fassbender’s character’s] anxiety. I liked it as a meditation tape, I thought it was amusing and funny.
Tracks like “Bigmouth Strikes Again,” “I Know It’s Over,” and the aforementioned “How Soon Is Now?” are all set to be used in key scenes in the upcoming movie, and help provide what Fincher called “our window into him,” referring to Fassbender’s mental state.
Expect to hear much more about The Killer as we get closer to its Netflix debut. In the meantime, take a look at the Netflix 2023 movie schedule so you don’t miss out on any of the other promising streaming films coming your way this year.
