6 Upcoming Films That True Crime Fans Need to Have on Their Radars
Raise your hand if you're addicted to true crime, and you're not afraid to admit it. We can't get enough of true crime books, true crime TV series, true crime podcasts, and true crime documentaries, and we couldn't be more excited to see some of our favorite true crime stories hitting the big screen this year. From bootleggers, to tax evaders, to violent cult followers, nothing is cooler than seeing A-list stars take on the roles of history's most notorious criminals, and if you're like us, then you're going to want to know about these six insane true crime movies debuting this year.
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Directed by John Lee Hancock, who also directed The Blind Side, this crime film will tell the true story of two former Texas Rangers and expartners (played by Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson) who join forces to try and capture notorious criminals Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. Though the lawmen were out of the Rangers by the time Bonnie and Clyde began their robbery reign, Frank Hamer and Maney Gault were commissioned as special investigators by a consortium of banks, and together they assembled a team to end the infamous duo's robbery spree. Kathy Bates, Kim Dickens, and John Carroll Lynch will also appear.
Release date: Mar. 29
Though this Quentin Tarantino-directed movie will tell the story of fictional characters (struggling TV actor Rick Dalton and his stunt double and best friend Cliff Booth), their story is set in Los Angeles during the final years of Hollywood's Golden Age, which was the same time as the real-life events of the Manson Family murders. In the movie, Dalton's neighbor is Sharon Tate, a pregnant actress who was murdered in her home by followers of cult leader Charles Manson, along with four of her house guests. Leonardo DiCarprio is starring as Rick Dalton alongside Brad Pitt, who will play Cliff Booth, and Margot Robbie, who will play Sharon Tate.
Release date: Jul. 26
Based on Charles Brandt's true crime novel I Heard You Paint Houses, this Martin Scorsese film revolves around the scandalous life of Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran, a mob hitman who was known for his supposed involvement in union leader Jimmy Hoffa's death. After he was discharged from the army during World War II, Sheeran moonlighted as a killer, which connected him with the head of the Bufalino crime family, Russell Buffalino, as well as Teamsters president Hoffa. Eventually, Hoffa's scandals caught up with him, prompting Buffalino to allegedly reach out to his best hitman to do the job. Robert De Niro will star as Sheeran alongside Al Pacino, who will play Hoffa, and Joe Pesci, who will play Buffalino, and the rest of the cast is just as insane.
Release date: Fall 2019
Directed by Steven Soderbergh, who also directed Netflix's High Flying Bird, this film is an adaptation of The Secrecy World by Jake Bernstein, which is based on history's biggest data leak, the Panama Papers. If you haven't heard the story, the Panama Papers involved the exposure of millions of files from the database of the world's fourth biggest offshore law firm, unearthed by a team from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. These files linked the world's most powerful political figures to secret banking accounts to avoid taxes, leading all the way to Vladimir Putin. Meryl Streep will star alongside Gary Oldman, Antonio Banderas, and David Schwimmer.
Release date: TBA
This biographical crime film — which will be directed by Fantastic Four director Josh Tank — will follow notorious gangster Al Capone after his 11-year sentence in federal prison as he struggles with the effects of syphilitic dementia. Al Capone (sometimes known as "Scarface") worked his way up from a Five Points Gang member to a violent bootlegger during the early 20th century, and his mutually beneficial relationships with police officials and mayor William Hale Thompson kept him safe until he was eventually prosecuted for tax evasion. Venom star Tom Hardy will play Capone in the film, with Linda Cardellini costarring as Capone's wife, Mae.
Release date: TBA
Based on author Joe Sharkey's true crime book of the same name, Above Suspicion follows a newlywed FBI agent named Mark Putnam after he relocates to a mining town in Pikeville, KY, on his first mission. While there, he begins a two-year affair with a local woman, Susan Smith, who also happens to be his best informant. Game of Throne's Emilia Clarke will star as Susan alongside Ben-Hur actor Jack Huston, who will play Mark, and Thora Birch and Johnny Knoxville are also confirmed to appear in supporting roles.
Release date: TBA