Summary
One of the kings of mid-budget filmmaking is David Fincher, whose career began in music videos before his first studio film with 1992’sAlien³. With his dues paid, Fincher began to create his brand of filmmaking with his impressive 1995 follow-upSe7enand has retained his distinctly grim aesthetic all the way to his upcoming Netflix filmThe Killer.
Fincher has been a saint for the studio/streamerafter producing/directing three of their most popular shows inHouse of Cards,Mindhunter,andLove,Death& Robots.He also directed 2020’s biographical dramaMank,a long-gestated project written by Fincher’s late father Jack that told the story of Herman J. Mankiewicz as he de veloped the script forCitizen Kane. The next film in his four-year deal with Netflix is written by his old friend Andrew Kevin Walker, writer ofSe7en, and stars Michael Fassbender as a nameless hitman.
What is The Killer about?
In the vein of Ryan Gosling’s Driver in 2011’sDrive, Fassbender is referred to only as “The Killer”. He is a meticulous assassin who obsesses over every detail of his work, not too dissimilar from Fincher himself.Plot details have been kept relatively vagueby Netflix, with only this blurb provided by them: “After a fateful near miss, an assassin battles his employers, and himself, on an international manhunt he insists isn’t personal.” The film stars Charles Parnell (Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1), Kerry O’Malley (theAnnabellefranchise), Sala Baker (The Lord of the Ringstrilogy), and Tilda Swinton (Asteroid City).
Publishers
Casterman, Archaia Studios Press
The Killeris based on the French comic book series of the same name (translated fromLa Tueur) written by Matz and illustrated by Luc Jacamon. The comics portray the life of an unnamed assassin as he carries out various jobs, opines about his life as a hitman, and questions the nature of human existence.
Throughout the series, the Killer falls deeper into the world of international politics and becomes entwined in plots that are far larger than him. Like other examples of French literature,The Killertakes a very philosophical stance on its subject matter, diving into questions of morals, ethics, and existentialism. Despite all of the action and violence, the story could alsobe considered a slice-of-life piece, as it depicts even the mundane moments in the Killer’s life.
When is The Killer Coming Out?
Back in 2007, the year his masterpieceZodiacwas released, Fincher announced he had acquired the rights to the French comic series and that Alessandro Camon would write the script with Brad Pitt set to star and produce through his Plan B Entertainment banner. Fincher and Pitt had worked together on Se7en,Fight Club,The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and were oncedeveloping a sequel to 2013’s World War Z, yet the two have been unable to reunite on a project since 2008’sBenjamin Button. There were no new developments onThe Killeruntil 2021 when Fincher inked his exclusive deal with Netflix and resurrected the film with a new lead.
The Killerwill open in select theaters this weekend before going to streaming on November 10. Its theatrical run will be capped off with the historic reopening of Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, which was sold to Netflix by the American Cinematheque in 2020 when its doors were shuttered due to the pandemic. The theater has been magically restored to its original appearance and will be the new venue for Netflix’s original films beginning on November 9 when the cineplex opens its doors witha screening ofThe Killerfollowed by a Fincher Q&A.
Fincher and Fassbender For the Win
For those wondering where Fassbender has been since his last film in2019’sX-Men: Dark Phoenix,the prolific actor has been enjoying a new career as a racecar driver in the European Le Mans Series. Many forget how exciting the trajectory of his career was during the 2010s when he starred in a whopping 23 films before stepping away for a stint in motorsport, which was one of his earliest passions. Fincher was able to convince him to be in the film by coordinating the production schedule around his racing season, an act of goodwill that by both artists that will hopefully lead them to another collaboration.
If there is a film talented enough to pull an actor out of near-retirement, Fincher would be among the top. The filmmaker is notorious for his intense attention to detail, often filming lengthy numbers of takes (upwards of 100 at times) and micromanaging every aspect of the process from development to distribution.In an interview with the Guardian, Fincher had this to say about what drives him:
“It’s very technical. It’s about getting the shot … I think it’s always interesting to watch somebody use their tools with great precision.”
Fincher continues to provide an anecdote from his work during the captioning stage of the film that perfectly encapsulates the “immediacy and subjectivity” he aims for.
“I noticed that it said ‘birds chirping’ and I suddenly realized, well, ‘chirping’? What if it’s ‘birds chirp’? You’re literally in this guy’s orbital sockets with him”.
The Killerappears to have come out of a perfect storm thanks to its perfectionist director who was able to pull off a globetrotting action thriller while putting his semi-retired star’s racing career into consideration. Reviews for the film have been terrific following its premiere at the Venice International Film Festival, where it debuted with a score of 76 on Metacritic and an 88% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It is nice to see Fassbender starring in a well-received film after his string ofless fortunate work from 2016’s Assassin’s Creedup to the aforementionedDark Phoenix.
This will also be one of two Fassbender films in November as the leading man makes his two-punch comeback with Fincher as well as Taikia Waititi, who directs him in the sports comedyNext Goal Winswhich releases on the 17th. What a wonderful holiday gift to those who have waited for the return of one this generation’s most underrated actors.
