David Fincher's The Killer Trailer Teases Michael Fassbender As An Unstable Assassin

Netflix has released its first trailer for "The Killer," which is David Fincher's second film for the streaming service following the premiere of "Mank" in 2020. Whereas "Mank" is a biopic like his acclaimed feature "The Social Network" before it, "The Killer" looks to be a return to the gritty violence that was once standard for the award-winning director.

Well prior to the release of this first trailer, Fincher revealed that the project is based on a French comic of the same name by author Alexis Nolent and illustrator Luc Jacamon. The first "Killer" comic debuted in 1998 and its publication continued through 2013, so Fincher had plenty of existing source material to adapt. Andrew Kevin Walker — whose past credits include "Seven" and work on the "Fight Club" script — wrote its screenplay. Other returning collaborators include composer duo Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross as well as "Mank" cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt.

After the Venice International Film Festival announced that it would screen the film's world premiere, one festival programmer told film blog World of Reel that Fincher's latest is similar in style to the 1967 French noir classic "Le Samouraï." Now fans of that film and/or Fincher's past work can see what "The Killer" looks like in action for the first time courtesy of its debut trailer.

Fassbender stars in "The Killer" as a professional assassin named Christian. As this first trailer reveals, Christian is both highly skilled at his chosen profession and starting to become disillusioned with the violent nature of his work. However, while Christian wants to back out of the killing business, there are still some powerful people interested in his services, and he has a hard time leaving behind his chosen lifestyle.

That Fincher is collaborating with "Seven" screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker once again is unsurprising, given that "The Killer" looks like it will feature its fair share of bloodshed. However, its brooding protagonist imbues its violent atmosphere with something of a melancholic undercurrent not necessarily typical of Fincher's past work.

The film also features performances by Tilda Swinton, Charles Parnell, Sophie Charlotte, Sala Baker, and Arliss Howard. After its Venice International Film Festival premiere in September, "The Killer" will hit Netflix on November 10.