Netflix has released the official trailer for The Whisper Man, its new crime thriller starring Robert De Niro, Adam Scott, and Michelle Monaghan. The film will premiere on August 28.
Based on Alex North’s bestselling novel, The Whisper Man Netflix adaptation follows a widowed writer whose eight-year-old son disappears. The search forces him to turn to his estranged father, a retired detective connected to an older serial killer case that may not be as finished as everyone believed.
What Is The Whisper Man About?
Adam Scott stars as Tom Kennedy, a widowed crime writer whose son Jake is abducted. With few options left, Tom asks his estranged father for help.
Robert De Niro plays the retired former police detective who previously arrested a serial killer known as the Whisper Man. As the investigation into Jake’s disappearance develops, the family discovers a connection between the current abduction and the decades-old case.
The official synopsis reads:
When his eight-year-old son is abducted, a widowed crime writer looks to his estranged father, a retired former police detective, for help, only to discover a connection with the decades-old case of a convicted serial killer known as “The Whisper Man.”
At the center of the story is a disturbing children’s rhyme about the killer approaching through open doors and unlocked windows. The rhyme returns when children begin disappearing again, raising questions about how the new crimes connect to the man already convicted.
The film keeps the novel’s central focus on fathers and sons, with the criminal investigation placing Tom’s strained relationship with his own father alongside his desperate effort to save Jake.
The Whisper Man Cast Includes Robert De Niro and Adam Scott
Robert De Niro leads the cast as the retired detective who handled the original Whisper Man investigation.
Adam Scott plays Tom Kennedy, while Acston Luca Porto appears as his eight-year-old son, Jake. The first-look images released for the film show Scott and Porto together, as well as Porto in a scene inspired directly by the novel.
Michelle Monaghan stars as Amanda Beck. The full confirmed cast also includes:
- Robert De Niro
- Michelle Monaghan
- Adam Scott
- Hamish Linklater
- Owen Teague
- Acston Luca Porto
- Will Brill
Character details have not been released for every member of the cast.
The film brings together actors known for crime stories, horror, and psychological drama. Scott’s recent credits include Severance and Big Little Lies, while Monaghan has appeared in Gone Baby Gone and The White Lotus. Linklater previously starred in Midnight Mass, and Teague appeared in It.
The Whisper Man Is Based on Alex North’s Bestseller
The Whisper Man is adapted from Alex North’s New York Times bestselling novel of the same name.
The book follows Tom and Jake as they move to a new home following the death of Tom’s wife. Their arrival becomes connected to an older child-abduction case and the killer known as the Whisper Man.
For the Netflix film, Ben Jacoby and Chase Palmer wrote the screenplay. Jacoby’s credits include The First Omen, while Palmer previously worked on It.
James Ashcroft directs. His earlier films include The Rule of Jenny Pen and Coming Home in the Dark.
The project is Netflix’s sixth film made with AGBO, the company founded by the Russo brothers. AGBO Chief Creative Officer Angela Russo-Otstot described the adaptation as both a thriller and a story about the difficult relationships between fathers and sons.
When Does The Whisper Man Release on Netflix?
The Whisper Man will premiere globally on Netflix on August 28, 2026.
FAQ
When does The Whisper Man come out on Netflix?
The Whisper Man will be released on Netflix on August 28, 2026.
Is The Whisper Man based on a book?
Yes. The film is based on Alex North’s bestselling novel The Whisper Man.
Who stars in The Whisper Man?
The cast includes Robert De Niro, Adam Scott, Michelle Monaghan, Hamish Linklater, Owen Teague, Acston Luca Porto, and Will Brill.
Key Details
- Title: The Whisper Man
- Release Date: August 28, 2026
- Format: Feature film
- Platform: Netflix
- Cast: Robert De Niro, Michelle Monaghan, Adam Scott, Hamish Linklater, Owen Teague, Acston Luca Porto, Will Brill
- Director: James Ashcroft
- Writers: Ben Jacoby and Chase Palmer
- Production Company: AGBO
- Source Material: The Whisper Man by Alex North