We’re not reinventing the wheel here, folks. Dogged reporters on the hunt for a serial killer at the risk of their own lives is a formula that never gets old, and the creative team behind “Boston Strangler” seems well aware of that fact. Written and directed by Matt Ruskin (“Crown Heights”), the film stars Keira Knightley as reporter Loretta McLaughlin, and Carrie Coon as her co-worker Jean Cole — two of the central figures who shined a light on the infamous Boston Strangler of the 1960s. As if tracking down a serial killer wasn’t bad enough, naturally, the pair find themselves railroaded at every step because they happen to be women. The film appears set to explore how that added complication muddies up one of the most notorious murder sprees in modern history.
In addition to Knightley and Coon, the rest of the cast includes “Dune” and “The Suicide Squad” star David Dastmalchian, Morgan Spector (“Homeland”), Bill Camp (“Joker”), and Chris Cooper (“Little Women”). Ridley Scott produces the film, which is set to premiere on Hulu in the United States, Star+ in Latin America, and Disney+ under the Star banner elsewhere on March 17, 2023.
The film follows Loretta McLaughlin (Keira Knightley), a reporter for the Record-American newspaper, who becomes the first journalist to connect the Boston Strangler murders. As the mysterious killer claims more and more victims, Loretta attempts to continue her investigation alongside colleague and confidante Jean Cole (Carrie Coon), yet the duo finds themselves stymied by the rampant sexism of the era. Nevertheless, McLaughlin and Cole bravely pursue the story at great personal risk, putting their own lives on the line in their quest to uncover the truth.