Andrew Scott Is Mysterious and Terrifying in the First Unsettling Teaser for ‘Ripley’

Andrew Scott brings Tom Ripley to life in the most unsettling manner in the first official teaser for Ripley. The Netflix series is the latest adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s acclaimed novel The Talented Mr. Ripley.

There’s a bit of pressure for the series to differentiate itself from the numerous other adaptations of Highsmith’s work. The book has been adapted to the small screen once, for an episode of Studio One, and inspired three film adaptations—the most popular of which is the 1999 film The Talented Mr. Ripley, which starred Matt Damon in the title role and received five Oscar nominations. The mysterious tone of the teaser shows Scott putting his own spin on the iconic Tom Ripley, and bodes well for Netflix’s new take on the story.

Additionally, the series is created by Steven Zaillian, the talented writer behind Schindler’s List, Moneyball, and The Irishman. There’s also the success of Saltburn, which has drawn comparisons to The Talented Mr. Ripley, proving that dark stories of twisted obsession are still appealing. Ripley has quite the potential with an extraordinary cast, crew, and intriguing story. Here’s everything we know about the limited series so far.

Netflix drops the first foreboding teaser for Ripley

Ripley is set to arrive on Netflix on April 4. Ahead of its release, Netflix dropped the first official teaser, giving viewers a tantalizing taste of the unsettling tone.

The short teaser doesn’t give viewers much beyond vibes. However, the black-and-white photography combined with the pulsing score gives Ripley a haunting feeling. Meanwhile, the repetition of his name throughout the teaser conveys the mystery, intrigue, and danger swirling about Ripley’s identity. Though the teaser is careful not to give too much away, it does unveil a surprising casting.

The teaser confirms that John Malkovich will be appearing in an undisclosed role in the series. This is quite a clever casting, considering Malkovich also portrayed Ripley many years ago in Ripley’s Game. The clip also highlights Scott’s take on Ripley. Scott is best known for his role as Professor Moriarty in Sherlock and the Hot Priest in Fleabag and is the perfect fit for the brilliantly cunning and deceptive Ripley. While he is smooth and sophisticated in the teaser, Scott’s subtle facial expressions and body language suggest there’s more to his character under the surface.

Also starring in the series is Lovesick‘s Johnny Flynn as Dickie Greenleaf, the free-spirited and irresponsible young man Ripley takes an interest in. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood star Dakota Fanning has been cast as Greenleaf’s love interest, Marge Sherwood. Rounding out the cast are Pasquale Esposito as a character named Pucci and Eliot Sumner in an undisclosed role.

The official synopsis for Ripley reads:

Scott’s Tom Ripley is a grifter scraping by in early ’60s New York. He’s hired by a wealthy industrialist to travel to Italy to try to convince the man’s dilettante son, Dickie Greenleaf (Johnny Flynn), to return home. Accepting the job is Tom’s first step into a complex life of deceit, fraud, and murder. 

Ripley is expected to cover Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley, exploring his origin story and how his connection to Greenleaf leads to his rise as a con man. However, given that the series consists of eight episodes, there is a chance it will work in further Ripley stories as well. After all, Highsmith actually wrote five Ripley novels in total, and there is a lot of brilliant source material beyond the most well-known original novel. Exploring more of Ripley’s stories would also further set the limited series apart from the movies and add something truly original to the Highsmith’s Ripley legacy.

(featured image: Netflix)