The First Trailer For The Assassination Of Gianni Versace Is Dark And Thrilling

Last night debuted the season finale of American Horror Story: Cult. And with one anthology series concluded for a year, the time has come to look forward to Ryan Murphy's next project on FX. And that project happens to be the sophomore season of American Crime Story. The People vs. OJ Simpson made seriously waves when it debuted in 2016, and now the next installment is almost upon us. The Assassination of Gianni Versace will focus on just that, fictionalizing the real life players involved in the infamous killing and its aftermath. Details have been kept fairly under wraps, but we've finally got an official trailer for the new season. Check it out.

Ryan Murphy is at it again, this time delving back into the true crime genre that has proved so profitable over the past few years. Let's break down everything we're being shown in this trailer.

The action picks up with the titular incident, as we see Gianni Versace's killer flee the scene, and his partner Antonio D'Amico (Ricky Martin) frantically screaming for help. From there, the exposition and world building begins. We meet the detectives who are investigating Versace's murder, and see how the late designer's loved ones are dealing with the loss.

Penélope Cruz is certainly a standout in the first trailer, as she does a spot on impression of Gianni's sister the legendary Donatella Versace. With blonde hair and Donatella's signature accent, she certainly seems to be doing the fashion icon justice. We see how Donatella was personally mourning for her brother, while also mourning the future of the brand. Of course, Versace is still a wildly successful (and expensive) designer, but they didn't know if the brand could survive without Gianni at the time.

The focus then shifts over to Darren Criss' character. He's playing serial killer Andrew Cunanan in The Assassination of Gianni Versace, who is responsible for Versace's untimely death. We see as Andrew arrives in Miami, and is met by New Girl's Max Greenfield, playing Santo Versace. Andrew is trying to make a name for himself, which includes occasionally murdering the men he lures into his clutches. After having a confrontation with Gianni, he eventually guns down the designer outside his Miami home.

It should be interesting to see how the second season of American Crime Story goes down. The first go was universally acclaimed, so there are some big shoes to fill. Additionally, the general population likely knows less about Versace's assassination, so it's unclear if the built in interest will be present the way it was for The People Vs. OJ Simpson. Additionally, the series creators aren't involved in this season, adding to the pressure to deliver.

The Assassination of Gianni Versace will debut January 17, 2018. In the meantime, check out our fall premiere list to plan your next binge watch, or check to see if your favorite show has been canned with our cancellation list.

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.