Cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt — who just won an Oscar for Mank — spoke to El Diario Vasco (via The Fincher Analyst) and confirmed he’ll be reteaming with David Fincher on “The Killer”. A November shoot is set for Paris.
Fincher is a world-class filmmaker and has had a hot streak of films between 1995 and 2014 (“Seven,” “The Game,” “Fight Club,” “Panic Room,” “Zodiac,” “The Social Network,” “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” “Gone Girl.”) The only time I felt disappointed by a film of his during that time span was 2008’s ”The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.”
Just a few months after the release of “Mank,” it was announced that Fincher was again teaming up with Netflix for a movie. This time it’s “The Killer,” an adaptation of Alexis Nolent’s graphic novel series. ”Seven” screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker is adapting Nolent’s novels and Michael Fassbender has been confirmed as the lead [via Deadline].
Deadline: “The graphic novel series followed a cold-blooded assassin who begins to have a psychological crisis in a world with no moral compass.”
Hollywood Reporter: “[Fassbender] would star as an assassin who begins to psychologically crack as he develops a conscience, even as his clients continue to demand his skills.”“The Killer” has been a passion project for Fincher since at least 2007. The fact that Fincher is going back to work so quickly after “Mank” is a surprise. He is known to meticulously wait, and wait, and wait for his next project. Not to mention has had quite a few fall by wayside these last few years, including a “World War Z” sequel.
Back in March of 2019, I wrote What is Happening with David Fincher's Movie Career? :
The fact of the matter is this: [Before “Mank”] David Fincher has not directed a movie in six years [his last being 2014’s “Gone Girl.”] He seemed rather lost, more than anything else, with the studio system closing down its doors on "auteur" filmmakers. He didn’t have much of a choice but to accept the lack of creative opportunities.
Then came Netflix. Fincher has been all about Netflix since delving into the streaming game, creating “House of Cards,” “Mindhunter“ “Love Death + Robots” and “Mank” for the streaming giant. The latter recently earned him a Golden Globe for Best Director and will likely land him an Oscar nomination in the same category.