The Whisper Man (2026)
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2025-09 to 2026-08
A widowed novelist and his son must confront the legacy of a notorious serial killer after a local abduction triggers a desperate investigation.
The story
After moving to the town of Garretton, widowed novelist Tom Kennedy and his young son Jake find themselves entangled in a chilling mystery. The local police are investigating a child abduction linked to the 'Whisper Man,' a notorious serial killer from the 1990s. When Jake is abducted, Tom is forced to seek help from his estranged father, a detective who originally captured the killer. As the investigation unfolds, Tom must navigate the unsettling atmosphere of the town and the haunting history of the Whisper Man to find his son before it is too late.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 2026, Detective Amanda Beck finds a body linked to the 'Whisper Man,' a serial killer who tormented families with recorded messages. Tom Kennedy, a widowed novelist, moves to Garretton with his son Jake, who has an imaginary friend. After Jake is abducted, Tom contacts his estranged father, Peter, a retired detective who captured the original killer. The investigation reveals that the house's previous tenant was the killer's accomplice. Peter eventually meets the imprisoned Whisper Man, who taunts him. It is revealed that Peter was actually Jake's 'imaginary friend' (Mr. Night) due to his past alcoholism. Tom discovers a man named Norman Collins, who is revealed to be the one who stalked them. They find the remains of previous victims. It is then revealed that the current kidnapper is the Whisper Man's son, Francis Jr. During a final confrontation, Peter is fatally wounded but helps rescue Jake. In the end, the Whisper Man strangles his son in prison, and Tom finds a photo of his late wife as a child wearing a blue sweater, mirroring Jake's imaginary friend.
- First release year
- 2026
- Runtime (minutes)
- 114
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- James Ashcroft
- Writers
- Ben Jacoby · writer; Chase Palmer · writer
- Cast and characters
- Robert De Niro; Michelle Monaghan; Adam Scott
- Genres
- crime; thriller
- Themes
- paternal abandonment; trauma; legacy
- Tone and mood
- tense; eerie
- Premise and plot tags
- serial killer; missing child; father-son relationship
- Source material / true-story basis
- novel of the same name by Alex North
- Reception
- mixed reviews from critics
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 52 · scale: 100 · review count: 19
- Production trivia
- The Russo brothers optioned the rights in 2018.; The original score consists of 19 original tracks.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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