‘The Whisper Man’ trailer reveals Robert De Niro and Adam Scott mystery thriller

Netflix has unveiled the first trailer for The Whisper Man, offering audiences a chilling preview of its upcoming crime thriller led by Robert De Niro, Adam Scott and Michelle Monaghan. Based on Alex North's bestselling novel of the same name, the film is set to arrive on the streaming platform on August 28.

The story follows widower Tom Kennedy, played by Adam Scott, whose young son Jake is abducted by a notorious serial killer known as the Whisper Man. Desperate to find his child, Tom turns to his estranged father Pete, portrayed by Robert De Niro, a retired detective who originally arrested the infamous murderer years earlier.

The mystery quickly deepens because the Whisper Man, whose real name is Frank Carter, has remained behind bars since his capture. With another child missing despite the killer's imprisonment, Pete is forced to question whether someone is copying the crimes or if another sinister explanation lies beneath the surface.

Michelle Monaghan stars as Detective Amanda Beck, who works alongside Pete as the investigation unfolds. The trailer hints at a tense race against time, blending psychological suspense with an emotional family drama centred on fathers, sons and long buried wounds.

Director James Ashcroft, whose previous feature was Coming Home in the Dark, said the relationship between Pete and Tom was what drew him to the project. Although the film contains all the hallmarks of a serial killer thriller, he explained that the emotional core rests in the fractured bond between father and son and their struggle to reconnect under devastating circumstances.

Ashcroft also praised De Niro's performance, describing Pete as a quiet but constantly observant former detective whose experience shapes every decision he makes during the investigation. He similarly commended Scott's portrayal of a grieving father placed under unimaginable pressure as he searches for his missing son while confronting years of unresolved family conflict.

Author Alex North has previously explained that the novel was inspired in part by his own experiences as a father. While writing the book, his son was around the same age as Jake, leading him to explore how family histories, fears and behaviours can be passed from one generation to the next. Those themes remain central to the film adaptation.

The newly released trailer focuses on both suspense and emotion, opening with Pete apologising for the distance between himself and Tom before the pair reluctantly reunite in the hope of rescuing Jake. As clues emerge, the investigation raises unsettling questions about identity, legacy and whether the Whisper Man's influence extends far beyond prison walls.

Netflix's adaptation promises a tense blend of crime, mystery and family drama when it premieres worldwide on August 28.