Under The Banner Of Heaven Teaser: Andrew Garfield Investigates A Murder

Very few types of genre stories are doing as well right now as true-crime retellings, as evidenced by popular shows like "Mindhunter" in recent years and a spate of projects such as Netflix's "Crime Scene: The Times Square Killer" and the upcoming HBO Max series "The Staircase." Now, it's FX on Hulu and actor Andrew Garfield's turn to take a swing at some dark, disturbing, and strangely compelling material. Specifically, the true story of a brutal double homicide involving a devout Mormon (played by star Daisy Edgar-Jones) set in Utah during the early 1980s. Based on author Jon Krakauer's 2003 nonfiction book of the same title, "Under the Banner of Heaven" stars Andrew Garfield as a detective who also happens to be a man of faith. Inevitably, his Mormon worldview will crumble and risk coming undone when he's tasked with investigating the horrific crime and catching the ruthless killer.

Today, we received our first look at the upcoming limited series, teasing an atmospheric and moody thriller accompanied by Andrew Garfield's flowery and deeply religious-sounding dialogue. The actor is most famous for his work on both "The Amazing Spider-Man" movies and "The Social Network," but he's also strung together hits over the last several years with Martin Scorsese's "Silence" in 2016, "Under the Silver Lake," and this year's "The Eyes of Tammy Faye" and "Tick, Tick... BOOM!," establishing himself as one of our best and most in-demand actors currently working. Needless to say, we'll certainly be watching this one. Check out the teaser below!

"I wonder how something so horrific could have come to pass."

Murders just have a way of striking in the places we least expect them, and that goes double for a peaceful Mormon community in Utah. Andrew Garfield has a knack for playing up the "Aw shucks" appeal of a decent and moral character who finds himself in over his head, which "Under the Banner of Heaven" sure seems to be shaping up as. The series already looks intriguing based on this brief look at the footage, but viewers will be tempted even further by the involvement of Oscar-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black ("Milk," "J. Edgar") and director David Mackenzie ("Hell or High Water," "Outlaw King"). 

Garfield will star as the detective named Pyre, who undergoes something of a crisis of conscience as a result of investigating the slayings. He's joined by Daisy Edgar-Jones, who'll portray the victim named Brenda, likely in an expanded role thanks to the use of flashbacks. Other cast members include Sam Worthington, Wyatt Russell, Denise Gough, Rory Culkin, Gil Birmingham, and more.

No release date has yet been announced, but viewers can expect the series to premiere on FX on Hulu later this year. Check out the synopsis of "Under the Banner of Heaven" below:

A devout detective's faith is tested as he investigates a brutal murder that seems to be connected to an esteemed Utah family's spiral into LDS fundamentalism and their distrust in the government. Andrew Garfield will star as "Pyre," an LDS elder who is committed to his Church and family but begins to question some of the Church's teachings through his contact with a suspected murderer.