Boston Strangler Trailer: Keira Knightley Is A Reporter On The Trail Of A Serial Killer

Imagine if "Zodiac" happened far away from the warm and idyllic confines of California. In the frigid (and heavily-accented) Northeast, one very real-life killer stalked a number of victims that nobody ever really cared about — certainly not enough for the police and other authorities to actually link together as the work of one sick mind. Where's Robert Downey, Jr. and Jake Gyllenhaal when you need them, huh?

As much as that 2007 David Fincher classic helped create a renewed interest in true crime that's now all the rage these days, the latest installment in this darkly appealing subgenre is taking on a much different approach. For one thing, "Boston Strangler" is skipping theaters entirely, in case you forgot we're now in the Streaming Era for better or worse. For another, the investigative action this time is led by the tag-team of Keira Knightley (it's a period piece, duh) and Carrie Coon, of "The Leftovers" fame and acclaim. The final result looks like exactly the kind of mid-budget adult drama that we're sorely lacking these days. Now, if only this was actually getting a theatrical release.

But I digress! 20th Century Studios has released a brand-new look at "Boston Strangler" and you can check out the trailer below.

We're not reinventing the wheel here, folks. Dogged reporters on the hunt for a serial killer at the risk of their own lives is a formula that never gets old, and the creative team behind "Boston Strangler" seems well aware of that fact. Written and directed by Matt Ruskin ("Crown Heights"), the film stars Keira Knightley as reporter Loretta McLaughlin, and Carrie Coon as her co-worker Jean Cole — two of the central figures who shined a light on the infamous Boston Strangler of the 1960s. As if tracking down a serial killer wasn't bad enough, naturally, the pair find themselves railroaded at every step because they happen to be women. The film appears set to explore how that added complication muddies up one of the most notorious murder sprees in modern history.

In addition to Knightley and Coon, the rest of the cast includes "Dune" and "The Suicide Squad" star David Dastmalchian, Morgan Spector ("Homeland"), Bill Camp ("Joker"), and Chris Cooper ("Little Women"). Ridley Scott produces the film, which is set to premiere on Hulu in the United States, Star+ in Latin America, and Disney+ under the Star banner elsewhere on March 17, 2023.

The film follows Loretta McLaughlin (Keira Knightley), a reporter for the Record-American newspaper, who becomes the first journalist to connect the Boston Strangler murders. As the mysterious killer claims more and more victims, Loretta attempts to continue her investigation alongside colleague and confidante Jean Cole (Carrie Coon), yet the duo finds themselves stymied by the rampant sexism of the era. Nevertheless, McLaughlin and Cole bravely pursue the story at great personal risk, putting their own lives on the line in their quest to uncover the truth.