Posted in: Movies, Netflix | Tagged: david fincher, netflix, the killer

The Killer and "Trying Understand the Mind of a Sociopath"

The Killer star Michael Fassbender wanted "to understand the mind of a sociopath" in this role. It will stream to Netflix on November 10th.

We are getting another David Fincher and Netflix combination this fall, which comes in the form of an adaptation of a French comic book. The Killer stars Michael Fassbender and is weirdly one of the two big movies that Netflix has coming out this year about hitmen, so maybe they are trying to tell the other streamers to back off or something. Either way, now that the movie has premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, we're starting to learn more about it. Empire got a chance to visit the set and speak to Fassbender before the strike began. Fassbender is no novice when it comes to playing complicated characters, but for this one, he really tried to get into the mind of a sociopath and loved that there was so much to draw when it came to the source material.

"There's just trying to understand the mind of a sociopath," he says. "I try and put together a lifespan, to where the character is now. … What I loved about the comics is there was a lot to pull from."

If you watch the trailer or read the summary of The Killer, you might not think there is anything particularly special going on here. You might think that this is something we have seen a million times, but there is something to be said about taking familiar concepts and having a master take the helm. For Fassbender, he's been waiting for a role like this, saying, "This is the type of film I was salivating to do. There's suspense and intrigue. A slow drip. I love that kind of movie." As for Fincher, the master previously mentioned doesn't give himself much credit. Instead, Fincher credits a lot to his star and says that so much of what Fassbender does is subtle, similar to the performance he was able to get out of Daniel Craig when they worked together on The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. 

"Michael's eyes betray a lot," the filmmaker explains. "He can hold a lot of conflicting things in his mind, and his eyes allow you access to it. … He's like Daniel Craig [Fincher's star on The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo] in that way, saying, 'I can do it better.' Tell him to stop 1/3 inch shorter, and he can fine-tune that technical stuff, while on top of that, he's got really good ideas about behaviour. … He has this gift as an actor, but clamped on top of it is this incredible discipline about how he subdivides his next move."

This is the second time this week we have had a director absolutely gushing about their lead, not in how they speak but in how they move and in the subtle movements of their body. It's great to see more directors talking about what a full-body physical thing acting is, even when you're not doing some action scene. There is acting in every movement that the actor and the production decide to make and leave in the final cut. Fassbender has always been a talent, and Fincher rarely misses, so put The Killer on the top of your must-see list for Netflix releases later this year. Here are some more images that were recently released as well.

The Killer: Summary, Cast List, Release Date

After a fateful near-miss, an assassin battles his employers and himself on an international manhunt he insists isn't personal.

The Killer is directed by David Fincher and is based on a French graphic novel of the same name by Alexis Nolent and Luc Jacamon. The screenplay is written by Andrew Kevin Walker with William Doyle, Peter Mavromates, and Ceán Chaffin. It stars Michael Fassbender as The Killer, Arliss Howard, Charles Parnell, Kerry O'Malley, Sala Baker, Sophie Charlotte, Tilda Swinton, Emiliano Pernía, and Gabriel Polanco. It will premiere at the Venice Film Festival on September 3rd, will receive a limited theatrical release on October 27th, and will stream to Netflix on November 10th.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!