A couple of new behind-the-scenes images fromDavid Fincher’s Netflix movieMankhave landed online, offering tantalizing teases of what’s to come. While highly anticipated films likeNo Time to Diecontinue to exit 2020 in hopes of finding theatrical success in a world less ravaged by the current pandemic, we at least know thatMankisn’t going anywhere. Fincher’s first feature film in six years is a Netflix original, and is thus far less concerned with theatrical box office receipts. And while I will still hold out hopes that Netflix puts the movie insometheaters at some point next year just so we can experience it on the big screen, right now in this dearth of new movies I’m just grateful we’re getting it at all.
The original film was scripted by Fincher’s fatherJack Fincherand re-evaluates 1930s Hollywood through the eyes of scathing social critic and alcoholic screenwriterHerman J. Mankiewicz(played in the film byGaryOldman) as he races to finish the screenplay ofCitizen Kane. The production and release ofKanewas fraught with controversy, as battles were waged over who wrote what between Mankiewicz andOrson Wellesafter the film won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar.
These behind-the-scenes images from the film come courtesy of cinematographerErik Messerschmidt, who shared them on his Instagram account. This is Messerschmidt’s first feature with Fincher, although he did work with the director on the first two seasons of Fincher’s Netflix seriesMindhunter.
Mankis presented in black-and-white, but what’s striking about these images is the use of an LED video wall to simulate the background while two characters are supposed to be driving. This is a technique that Fincher used on both seasons ofMindhunterto great effect (as Messerschmidt previouslyexplained to me in our interview), and it’s also gained traction as the Emmy-winning team behindThe Mandalorianexpanded this technique to create entire VFX backgrounds rendered in real-time.
I’m extremely excited forMank, but also crossing my fingers that Netflix has also put together a feature-length making-of documentary for the film, as Fincher is known for bountiful and insightful bonus features on the Blu-ray and DVD releases of most of his movies. Here’s hoping.
Check out the behind-the-scenes images below.Mankwill be released on Netflix sometime this fall.
Adam Chitwood is the Managing Editor for Collider. You can follow him on Twitter@adamchitwood.
