Netflix Thriller 'The Whisper Man' Starring Robert De Niro Gets First Look Images
Robert De Niro is back on Netflix with a new crime thriller that will surely prove to be the perfect mystery watch of the fall. Joined by a pair of award-winning stars, the first look at the adaptation of a best-selling novel has arrived online, as well as an official streaming release date. Netflix unveiled new images from The Whisper Man, a new crime thriller headed to the streaming platform on Aug. 28. The first look at the film reveals Adam Scott as a crime writer alongside his father, a retired police detective played by De Niro. When the writer's son and other children are kidnapped, a playground theme resurfaces referencing the "Whisper Man," forcing the retired detective who originally put the serial killer away back into the fold. Michelle Monaghan, playing the lead detective on the case, is also seen in action as the investigation begins. Based on the 2019 novel of the same name by Alex North, The Whisper Man was directed by James Ashcroft (The Rule of Jenny Pen), adapting a screenplay written by Ben Jacoby (The First Omen) and Chase Palmer (It). Ashcroft is known for bringing small-budget horror thrillers to life, including the acclaimed 2021 film Coming Home in the Dark, which boasts a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes, but the new Netflix film is by far his biggest project yet. With a reported budget of $50 million, and a star-studded cast at the center, Ashcroft could make his name mainstream with the upcoming adaptation. Check out the images below:
Not only does Robert De Niro return to Netflix after starring in Zero Day and Martin Scorsese's The Irishman, but The Whisper Man marks the latest collaboration between the streamer and the Russo Brother's production company, AGBO. Avengers: Doomsday directors Anthony and Joe Russo produced the new crime thriller alongside Angela Russo-Otstot and Michael Disco. The Russos previously directed some of Netflix's biggest original films to date, including The Electric State and The Gray Man, in addition to producing/writing the Extraction franchise. The Whisper Man is no big-budget action thriller, but AGBO released the following statement in light of the first-look images and release date announcement.
"AGBO is excited to be embarking on our sixth film with our incredible partners at Netflix. The Whisper Man is a gripping thriller, but at its core [it] is a poignant and complex story of father and sons. We are grateful to have one of the finest actors of his generation, Robert De Niro, anchoring that story and with the remarkable James Ashcroft directing."
The rest of the cast of The Whisper Man includes Hamish Linklater (Gen V), Owen Teague (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes), Acston Luca Porto (Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado), and Will Brill (The Eyes of My Mother). Back in 2025, it was reported that Michael Keaton (The Flash) would appear in the upcoming thriller adaptation alongside De Niro. However, his role has not been confirmed by Netflix, nor which character he could possibly be playing (though it's said to be a small cameo role). De Niro and Keaton previously appeared in Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown back in 1997, making The Whisper Man a long-awaited reunion.
Release Date
August 28, 2026
Runtime
106 minutes
Director
James Ashcroft
