Netflix has unveiled the first official teaser for its upcoming historical thriller,The Pale Blue Eye, which stars Christian Bale. The fast-approaching film draws its gruesome inspiration from the similarly titled Louis Bayard 2003 best-selling novel, which centers around a fictional exploration into the unexplainable nature of horror, not actual historical events.
Antlersdirector Scott Cooper will directNetflix’sThe Pale Blue Eye, which stars Bale as Augustus Landor, an out-of-retirement detective called on to investigate a series of gruesome murders in 1830s upstate New York. To solve the haunting mystery, Landor must partner up with a young Edgar Allen Poe, portrayed byThe Queen’s Gambitstar Harry Melling, to hunt down the cryptic serial killer that may possess supernatural abilities.
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Theteaser does not reveal much about the haunting events that will transpire inThe Pale Blue Eye. However, audiences are given a glimpse into the cold and blood-curdling setting that will look to dominate the film. Eerie poetic words recited by Melling as Poe echo in the background of the teaser asBale’s notably serious charactertraverses through various scenes, showcasing his detective work and the emotional weight the unexplainable murders are having on his psyche.
The Pale Blue Eyewill be Bale’s third time collaborating with Cooper, who previously directed the 2017 projectHostilesand 2013’sOut of the Furnace, which starred the Academy Award-winning actor. TheThor: Love and Thunderstarwill also serve as a producer on the upcoming historical thriller, which Cooper has been developing into a cinematic adaptation for over a decade. It will be interesting to see if Cooper can capture the ghastly essence of Bayard’s novel and if the cryptic mystery at the heart of the film is captivating enough to keep audiences invested in the emotionally unsettling investigation.
The Pale Blue Eyewill also feature performances from Robert Duvall, Timothy Spall, Gillian Anderson, Lucy Boynton, Toby Jones, and Harry Lawtey. The upcoming historical thriller will be Bale’s third and final cinematic venture to close the year. Audiences can see more of the Academy Award-winning star in Marvel Studios’Thor: Love & Thunder, currently available to stream on Disney Plus, and inDavid O. Russell’sAmsterdam, which is now playing in theaters.
The Pale Blue Eyewill hit theaters on Aug 01, 2025, and Netflix on July 05, 2025.
