I’ve got good news and I’ve got bad news. The good news is that according to producerCharlize Theron,Mindhunteris coming back in August. The bad news is that the last time I checked, August is three months from now. I know. It’s not fair. Address all letters, er, tweets, to @Netflix.
Speaking of addresses, let’s address the headline. No,MindhunterandManhuntare not rivals just because they share a similar title and disturbing subject matter. Technically,Mindhuntercan’t even have a rival because it’s a Netflix series, so it has no time slot. But let’s be honest, it’s the only live-action show that boasts the involvement ofDavid Fincher, so it would be unrivaled anyway. Having said that,Manhuntis a true crime series that succeeds on its own merits, and its first season, featuringPaul Bettanyas the Unabomber, had me riveted from start to finish. And now they have something in common, or rather, someone – actorCameron Britton.
Britton was the clear breakout ofManhunter’s acclaimed first season, in which he played the soft-spoken serial killerEdmund Kemper. Britton was so impressive as the not-so-gentle giant that he earned an Emmy nomination. As of this writing, Kemper’s return in season two has not been confirmed, but I’d put good money on an appearance somewhere along the way. Then again, retired FBI profilerJohn E. Douglasrecently indicated that Fincher has a five-season arc in mind for the show, so it’s possible that ‘Big Ed’ may not come back until further down the line.
Either way, Britton has found his next gig, and it’s a juicy one. As first reported by Deadline, he’s set to play the infamousRichard JewellinManhunt: Lone Wolf, which will explore the Atlanta Olympics Bombing. Jewell was the security guard who discovered the bomb at Centennial Olympic Park and risked his life to save hundreds of people before being falsely accused of planting the bomb himself. Co-starring opposite Britton will beJack Huston, who has signed on to playEric Rudolph, theactualmastermind behind the bombing.
Of course, a series calledManhunthas to follow, well, a manhunt, and fear not, for a manhunt there shall be! After setting off a series of bombs, Rudolph disappeared into the wilderness, where he evaded authorities for years thanks to his ability to charm and manipulate people. It sounds like a hell of a role for Huston, who frankly, could use it. His last few films have fizzled at the box office, though he does have a role inMartin Scorsese’sThe Irishman, which could be the kind of work that gets his career back on track. I’m also encouraged by his casting in Lionsgate’s racially-charged thriller starringJanelle Monae, and look forward to the upcoming Netflix filmEarthquake Bird, in which he stars oppositeAlicia VikanderandRiley Keough.
As for what all this means for 20th Century Fox’sThe Ballad of Richard Jewellmovie, which had engaged none other thanClint Eastwoodto direct, I have no idea. It doesn’t seem like it bode well for a potential movie, but then again, how many people are actually watching a Spectrum series starring Jack Huston? Plus, if there’s anyone in Hollywood who doesn’t give a rat’s ass about what anyone else is working on, it’s Eastwood – and he works fast, so theManhuntbrain trust had better hurry up!
Speaking of that brain trust, theManhunt: Unabomberteam of executive producerJohn Goldwynand writer/EPAndrew Sodroskiare both back for the second installment of the anthology series. They’ll be joined by new EPMichael Dinner, a TV veteran whose credits includeSneaky Pete,Justified,Chicago Hopeand one of my personal favorites,The Wonder Years.Manhunthails from Lionsgate Television, which made a deal last year with Spectrum parent Charter Communications for new seasons of the true crime show. The first season aired on Discovery Channel and is now available on Netflix. I don’t have Spectrum, so here’s hoping their PR team reaches out to me.
As forMindhunter, the show was renewed for a second season in November 2017, and in a recent interview withVulture, Douglas confirmed reports that this season will introduceCharles Manson,David “Son of Sam” Berkowitzand the Atlanta child killings of the early 1980s. For all its frank talk about murder and dismemberment, there’s actually very little gore or inMindhunter, which is more concerned with psychological confrontations than physical ones. While we don’t have a firm release date yet, Netflix typically releases new shows on Fridays at 12am. As our bad luck would have at, there are five Fridays in August this year, though let’s be serious – Hollywood loathes Labor Day weekend, and besides, most people are soaking all the sun they can get before the summer officially ends. Which is why I think you’re looking at a release date of either August 16th or 23rd. Why not earlier that month, you ask?
Well, August 8-9 is considered the date of Charles Manson’s Tate killings, named so after slain starletSharon Tate. This year marks the 50th anniversary of that heinous crime. Some opportunists would take advantage of something like that, but withQuentin Tarantinodeliberately moving up the release ofOnce Upon a Time… in Hollywoodto late July to avoid coinciding with the Tate killings, I see no reason why Netflix would antagonize the families of the victims and release a new series featuring Manson on that date. And if you release the second season the week before, on Aug. 2, it just means that people will be able to watch thoseMindhunterepisodes on the anniversary, since they all release at once. Outside of myscoop about Manson’s casting, I don’t have any inside information regardingMindhunteror the release of its second season, so all this is pure, if informed, speculation.
Here’s hoping Britton returns as Kemper, who in just a handful of appearances, made his presence felt. He may not be integral to the show, but he makes for a great Lecter toJonathan Groff’s Starling-esque Agent Ford. you may also catch Britton on the hit Netflix seriesThe Umbrella Academy. He’s represented byUTA, Velocity Entertainment Partners and Jackoway Tyerman.
Huston, who can currently be seen inMatthew Weiner’s Amazon seriesThe Romanoffs,is repped by UTA and Untitled Entertainment.
Watch Theron let the cat out of the bag – an appropriate phrase when writing about a serial killer show – on SiriusXM’sHoward Stern Showbelow. And check out her new rom-comLong Shot, which deserved a much better opening last weekend. Damn,Avengers…
