How far can an obsession go? “Ripley” focuses on a ’60s conman whose fascination leads to deadly results. The Netflix series is yet another adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s popular Tom Ripley novels. Academy Award winner Steven Zaillian heads up the project — writing and directing all episodes. Filming in black and white offers a stylish touch that evokes classic noir titles. For Zallian, the decision came from a single picture. “The edition of the Ripley book I had on my desk had an evocative black-and-white photograph on the cover,” the director told Vanity Fair. “As I was writing, I held that image in my mind. Black and white fits this story—and it’s gorgeous.”
READ MORE: The 70 Most Anticipated TV Shows & Mini-Series Of 2024
The project casts Andrew Scott as the conniving Ripley. Scott turned in a memorable performance in “All of Us Strangers” and can be seen in the upcoming film “Back in Action.” For “Ripley,” he’s joined by Johnny Flynn as Dickie Greenleaf and Dakota Fanning as Marge Sherwood.
The series’ official synopsis:
The drama is based on Patricia Highsmith’s bestselling Tom Ripley novels. In the series, Tom Ripley (Andrew Scott), a grifter scraping by in early 1960s New York, is hired by a wealthy man to travel to Italy to try to convince his vagabond son Dickie Greenleaf (Johnny Flynn) to return home. Tom’s acceptance of the job is the first step into a complex life of deceit, fraud and murder. Dakota Fanning plays Marge Sherwood, an American living in Italy who suspects darker motives underlie Tom’s affability.
Steven Zaillian, Garrett Basch, Guymon Casady, Ben Forkner, Sharon Levy, and Philipp Keel of Diogenes are executive producers on “Ripley.” The Netflix series is set to debut on April 4, 2024. Watch the new teaser trailer below.