James Vanderbilt reflects on making Zodiac with David Fincher

Nearly two decades after the release of the crime thriller Zodiac, screenwriter James Vanderbilt is looking back on his experience working with director David Fincher, calling the opportunity a career-defining moment.

While promoting his latest film, Nuremberg, Vanderbilt recalled how closely he collaborated with Fincher throughout the making of Zodiac. He said Fincher made it clear early on how involved he wanted the writer to be, telling him, “It’s you and me. We’re the creative nucleus of this.” Vanderbilt said that level of trust was rare and meaningful, adding, “It was a dream come true.”

Released in 2007, Zodiac was based on true-crime books about the real-life Zodiac killer and starred Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Edwards. Vanderbilt said the project was especially significant because it was the first time he stayed with a major studio film from development through completion, allowing him to closely observe Fincher’s famously meticulous filmmaking style.

Reflecting on what he learned from Fincher, Vanderbilt shared advice that has stayed with him throughout his career: “Good movies make you ask questions. Bad movies give you all the answers.” He said that philosophy continues to influence his approach to storytelling.

Vanderbilt also noted that he has recently reconnected with some of the film’s cast and praised their work, particularly Ruffalo and Edwards. He said the experience of working with such a talented group on Zodiac remains one of the highlights of his career.

Those lessons carried over into Vanderbilt’s newest project, Nuremberg, which he both wrote and directed. The historical drama stars Rami Malek as U.S. Army psychiatrist Lt. Col. Douglas Kelley and Russell Crowe as Hermann Göring, and focuses on the psychological evaluations of Nazi leaders following World War II. The film also features Michael Shannon, Leo Woodall, Richard E. Grant, Colin Hanks, Mark O’Brien and John Slattery.

Looking back, Vanderbilt said his time on Zodiac not only shaped his career but also solidified his understanding of what makes powerful, lasting films.