September 1, 2023
Netflix
After a fateful near miss an assassin battles his employers, and himself, on an international manhunt he insists isn’t personal.
Netflix Presents Michael Fassbender “THE KILLER”, with Tilda Swinton.
Click to view the gallery of all available official stills:
World Premiere in competition at the Venice Film Festival: September 3
Release Date: In Select Theaters October 27 / On Netflix November 10
“David Fincher’s much-anticipated adaptation of Alexis Nolent and Luc Jacamon’s graphic novel finally arrives. And it slays!”
The 67th BFI London Film Festival has unveiled its full lineup, which includes galas and special presentations of films.
The festival’s Headline Galas include David Fincher’s The Killer.
Tegan Vevers:
In absolute stillness, an unnamed assassin lurks in the darkness, surveilling his next target with an almost inhuman patience. But beneath his steely resolve is a man wrestling with his inner conscience. When a botched hit leaves the gunman with no choice but to retire from the world of professional killing, his shadowy past isn’t so willing to let him go – making him a target for his former employers, and his own demons. Teaming up with screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker for the first time since Se7en, David Fincher’s cold-blooded action thriller is a masterful work of icy precision, punctuated by meticulously executed, genuinely jaw-dropping action set pieces. Heading up a stellar cast, Michael Fassbender is mesmerising as the titular killer, his poise and physicality perfectly embodying a man losing the control that once defined him.
Tickets on sale September 12, 2023
BFI Members will get priority booking tickets.
August 29, 2023
Netflix
After a fateful near miss an assassin battles his employers, and himself, on an international manhunt he insists isn’t personal.
Netflix Presents: Michael Fassbender “THE KILLER”
Arliss Howard, Charles Parnell, Kerry O’Malley, Sala Baker
With Sophie Charlotte and Tilda Swinton
Casting: Laray Mayfield
Sound Design: Ren Klyce
Music: Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross
Costume Designer: Cate Adams
Editor: Kirk Baxter ACE
Production Design: Donald Graham Burt
Director of Photography: Erik Messerschmidt ASC
Executive Producer: Alexandra Milchan
Producers: William Doyle, Peter Mavromates
Produced By: Ceán Chaffin p.g.a.
Based on “The Killer”
Alexis “Matz” Nolent
Illustrator: Luc Jacamon
Screenplay By: Andrew Kevin Walker
Directed By: David Fincher
World Premiere in competition at the Venice Film Festival: September 3
Release Date: In Select Theaters October 27 / On Netflix November 10
CLICK TO VIEW THE TEASER POSTER IN FULL RESOLUTION
Designed by Neil Kellerhouse
Illustration by James Patterson
After a fateful near miss an assassin battles his employers, and himself, on an international manhunt he insists isn’t personal.
THE KILLER
EXECUTION
IS EVERYTHING.
World Premiere in competition at the Venice Film Festival:
September 3
Release Date:
In Select Theaters October 27 / On Netflix November 10
Spine-tingling visuals
Anastas Michos ASC GSC reteamed with director David Prior to shoot the Emmy-nominated episode “The Autopsy” for Guillermo del Toro’s anthology series Cabinet of Curiosities.
Adrian Pennington
August 25, 2023
British Cinematographer
In this version of Michael Shea’s short story, adapted with the help of screenwriter David S. Goyer, a small-town sheriff (Glynn Turman) is investigating a tragic mining explosion. One of the bodies pulled from the wreckage is given to pathologist Dr Winters (F. Murray Abraham) to examine, only to uncover a much more gruesome and macabre secret.
The episode, shot on RED Digital Cinema cameras, also received recognition with an ASC Award nomination earlier this year. Given the subject matter and their successful collaboration on Prior’s feature debut the horror film The Empty Man (2020) it was natural the pair should hook up.
“A director and cinematographer might not always see eye to eye but when they work together a lot you tend to challenge each other and that becomes part of the creative process,” says Michos. “You develop a shorthand which is paramount to getting through it all, particularly for TV. We shot this 58-minute episode in 15 days which astounded the both of us. Having the ability to understand what the director is trying to communicate is certainly useful.”
Knowledge of each other’s sensibilities proved advantageous when they arrived in Canada to shoot “The Autopsy” in 2021 during COVID since they were instantly confined to quarantine.
“We had about three weeks in our respective apartments which allows a lot of time to think. Our main reference for exteriors and tonality was The Deer Hunter (1978). In most projects, tonality is the first thing we try and decide.”
Glenn Kiser, Director of the Dolby Institute
August 24, 2023
The Dolby Institute
Executive Producer (and co-showrunner) J. Miles Dale joins us on the podcast to discuss the horror anthology series Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities, which was recently nominated for seven Primetime Emmy Awards. Joining the conversation are nominees: Supervising Sound Editor Nelson Ferreira, MPSE, and Director of Photography Anastas Michos, ASC, GSC.
To avoid spoilers, be sure to watch “The Autopsy” before watching this podcast! But be forewarned, it is extremely dark — both thematically and visually — which was entirely by design. Anastas Michos:
“The genre is squarely within a horror/sci-fi mode. It is about what we don’t see in life. That’s what makes shooting horror films or thrillers so interesting. That we allow the audience to only see what we want them to see, and tease the rest of it into the blacks [of the image].”
Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities is currently streaming on Netflix in Dolby Vision® and Dolby Atmos®.
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August 21, 2023
RED Digital Cinema
Cinematographer Anastas Michos, ASC, GSC, takes us into the thrilling world of Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities with “The Autopsy.” Michos’ mastery weaved an emotive visual narrative through skillfully dark color palettes, dynamic lighting, and expert composition, turning settings into characters and creating an immersive, unforgettable experience. Go behind the look, and learn about the choices Anastas made on “The Autopsy” that earned him a well-deserved Emmy nomination for Outstanding Cinematography For A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie.
Michos takes us Behind The Look: THAT SHOT of his favorite sequence of “The Autopsy” starting in the morgue.
“The Autopsy” is the third episode of Netflix‘s Cabinet of Curiosities. A seasoned sheriff investigates a dead body in the woods and calls on an old pal, a medical examiner, to help piece together a series of chilling events.
August 11, 2023
Netflix: Behind the Streams
Cinematographer Anastas Michos and Supervising Sound Editor Nelson Ferreira discuss their Emmy nominated work on “The Autopsy” episode of Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities.
Kenny McMillan
August 17, 2023
Frame & Reference
Frame & Reference is a conversation between Cinematographers hosted by Kenny McMillan. Each episode dives into the respective DP’s current and past work, as well as what influences and inspires them. These discussions are an entertaining and informative look into the world of making films through the lens of the people who shoot them.
Step into the fascinating realm of cinematography with our special guest, Anastas Michos, ASC, GSC. A seasoned expert in the field, Anastas unlocks the mysteries of television and feature film cinematography, highlighting the way technology is reshaping these two distinct mediums. We navigate the landscape of artificial intelligence and its impact on the world of filmmaking, as well as the unique perspectives of different unions and guilds.
In this engaging discussion, we venture into the realm of personalized creativity in cinematography. We grapple with the thorny issue of image authorship and the absence of laws in the United States that safeguard the creators of these images. Anastas enlightens us on how he navigates projects without relying on the safe and familiar, and what elements give a project an organic feel. We also explore the role of lenses, both physical and virtual, in crafting the look of an image.
As the conversation evolves, we explore the creative process of filmmaking. Anastas shares his insights on the influence of nostalgia and artificial intelligence on new ideas. We touch on the unique work of filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, delve into the intriguing concept of Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities, and discuss Anastas’ experience working with actor F Murray Abraham. Brace yourself for a riveting expedition into the world of film production, full of collaboration, innovation, and a dash of humor. Don’t miss out!
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Phedon Papamichael, ASC, GSC
August 12, 2023
American Cinematographer
In this episode, cinematographer Anastas Michos, ASC, GSC is joined by interviewer Phedon Papamichael, ASC, GSC to discuss his work on Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities — the Netflix horror-anthology series featuring eight macabre stories guest-directed by notable genre filmmakers.
Presented and “personally curated” by Guillermo del Toro, Cabinet of Curiosities offers an assortment of modern horror fare rooted in the traditions of gothic and grand-guignol storytelling. The series’ guest directors include Ana Lily Amirpour, Panos Cosmatos, Catherine Hardwicke, Guillermo Navarro, David Prior, Vincenzo Natali, and Keith Thomas. Michos shot Episode 3 — “The Autopsy,” directed by Prior — and earned ASC Award and Emmy Award nominations this year for his work on the installment.
In this interview, Michos discusses his approach to shooting his episode with minimal lighting; the importance of amping up contrast between colors to strengthen and maintain his palette’s intended effects; his personal philosophy on color association; and why cinematographers must follow their own instincts when making decisions on camera operating and movement.
Anastas Michos, ASC, GSC is a cinematographer whose credits include the features The Kissing Booth (2018), The First Purge (2018), The Empty Man (2020) and Vanquish (2021).
Phedon Papamichael, ASC, GSC first began working as photojournalist in New York, and has since served as director of photography on over 40 features, including Sideways (2004), Walk the Line (2005), The Descendants (2011) and Ford v Ferrari (2019). He is a two-time Academy Award nominee for his cinematography on Nebraska (2013) and The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020).
Find all episodes in our ASC Clubhouse Conversations series.
The Fincher Analyst 