Author Patricia Highsmith is known for her psychological thriller novels featuring charming murderers, the most popular of which features the character Tom Ripley, adapted for the screen many times. A couple of years ago, we learned that Helen Mirren would play Highsmith in a film titled Switzerland, from director Anton Corbijn. Retitled A Talent for Murder, the first trailer has now arrived courtesy of Bleecker Street.
A Talent for Murder puts Highsmith in the middle of her own psychological thriller, in which she is approached at her secluded Swiss home by a literary agent played by Alden Ehrenreich. He hopes to entice the reclusive author to write one more Ripley novel, only for their encounters to become more sinister.
The film is based on Joanna Murray-Smith’s 2014 play, Switzerland, which she adapted herself. Also in the cast are House of the Dragon‘s Olivia Cooke, and Juliet Stevenson.
Shockingly, this is Corbijn’s first feature in over a decade. He last directed the Robert Pattinson/Dane DeHaan James Dean drama, Life. He’s known mostly for the incredible Joy Division biopic, Control, as well as the John Le Carre thriller A Most Wanted Man, and George Clooney crime drama The American.
A Talent for Murder hits theaters on October 23rd, but will have its world premiere at TIFF next month.
