David Fincher, major awards show contender for Mank, has signed on to direct another Netflix original feature entitled The Killer. Deadline dropped the exclusive early Thursday morning that Fincher is to reunite with screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker, with whom he worked on the film Se7en (1995), on yet another twisted feature. It is rumored that Michael Fassbender is involved in the project, but neither Netflix nor representatives of Fassbender have commented on the topic. Fincher’s frequent collaborator Ceán Chaffin is said to be one of the project’s producers.
The Killer is based on a French graphic novel series by Alexis Nolent, under the pen-name Matz, and illustrated by Luc Jacamon. Andrew Kevin Walker would be writing the adapted screenplay about the series, first published in 1998. The Killer focuses on an unnamed assassin and tracks how his mundane, matter-of-fact approach to murder changes as he begins to develop a consience. The series has been described as a noir in both themes and stylistics, arguably a comfortable fit for Fincher and his affinity for dark, psychological thrillers (ahem, Gone Girl, Fight Club, Zodiac…).
The Fincher-Netflix project comes as no surprise as the director and platform are in the midst of a four-year partnership after signing a deal sometime in 2020. There have been no complaints thus far concerning the relationship, as Netflix subscribers continue to indulge in the Fincher-directed series House of Cards and Mindhunters, along with feature film Mank, which has accumulated six Golden Globes noms, one of which is for Best Director. It has been said that Fincher has had his eye on The Killer since 2007, initially in talks to develop the project with Paramount.
Filming is set to begin speedily, approximated as soon as Fall 2021.
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