Ripley is an up-and-coming television limited series in the psychological thriller genre. It was created by celebrated Hollywood writer and filmmaker Steven Zaillian and has Irish actor Andrew Scott playing the lead and titular role of Tom Ripley. Since its announcement, people have been really intrigued to watch the series mainly because of the source material it’s based on.
Fans are eager to know when Ripley will be released and can be enjoyed on the streaming platform. If you are looking for the answer to this question, keep on reading to know more.
What Is Ripley All About?
The series is based on the popular crime novel titled The Talented Mr. Ripley which was released in the year 1955. It was penned by Patricia Highsmith and has been earlier adapted into a Hollywood film on various occasions including the 1960 film Purple Noon and the 1999 film The Talented Mr. Ripley. Unlike the previous renditions of the novel, Ripley is entirely in black and white which gives it a dream-like feel.
Ripley is set in New York City in the 1960s. The story revolves around Tom Ripley (Andrew Scott) whom a rich man hires in order for him to convince his son to come back home. The rich man’s son is currently living in Italy. However, things escalate quickly once Tom meets his son Dickie Greenleaf (played by Johnny Flynn).
Who Will Be In The Cast?
Andrew Scott has appeared in several acclaimed films and shows like Sherlock and Fleabag. In Ripley, he is playing the lead role of Tom Ripley who looks innocent from the exteriors but has sinister motives beneath those eyes.
British actor and singer Johnny Flynn is playing the role of Dickie Greenleaf while Dakota Fanning is portraying the character of Marge Sherwood.
Apart from them, Eliot Sumner (Freddie Miles), Maurizio Lombardi (Inspector Ravini), Pasquale Esposito (Pucci), and John Malkovich are also a part of the series.
The series boasts an interesting ensemble of casts from different nations that will help bring the engaging story of Ripley to life.
Do We Have A Release Date?
This series was originally planned to drop on Showtime. However, the thriller series was acquired by Netflix in February 2023. Now, all the episodes of the series are slated to be released on April 4, 2024, on Netflix. The series is created, written, and directed by Steven Zaillian and it will have eight episodes.
He's a liar. It's his profession.
— Netflix (@netflix) March 4, 2024
Andrew Scott stars as Tom Ripley in the new limited series Ripley, premiering April 4 pic.twitter.com/pvxYcYyieI
Do We Have A Trailer?
Yes, luckily the makers of this Netflix series have so far released both a teaser and a trailer for the much-awaited series. The two-minute and 12-second-long trailer has a compilation of some of the best scenes as well as dialogues from the series.
At one point, Tom is described by Dakota Fanning’s character as someone ‘who takes advantage of people.’ We then see how Ripley takes the advantage of Dickie. The trailer further shows us Ripley’s run-in with the law as he tries to evade them and trick them with his charm.
Prior to that in January 2024, a nearly one-minute-long teaser video was released by the makers. It showcases one person telling Ripley that he is a ‘very hard man to find.’ It continues to intrigue the audiences about the story of Ripley without giving away any plot details. Both the trailer and the teaser are well-edited and help in generating interest in the series.
Conclusion
Ripley is directed by Steven Zaillian who has a long and highly influential career in Hollywood. He has written films like the Oscar-winning Schindler’s List and The Irish Man. Apart from his work in films, he has also served as the co-creator of the miniseries The Night Of.
A man of his stature and experience is the right fit to adapt a popular story like The Talented Mr. Ripley. Despite being extremely well-known and also classical, the story still manages to resonate well with everyone. Unlike its earlier adaptations which were mostly feature films, Ripley is a limited series.
This length and medium have allowed the makers to cover many details of the book that might have been missing in the earlier films due to time limitations. Since it has been adapted by a veteran like Steven, we can be assured that the material is in safe hands.
The Talented Mr. Ripley is essentially a story of Tom Ripley and he dodges the law and manipulates people in order to get away with something that he wants. It covers human traits like greed, and power and how one can mold people’s minds and trick them into what suits them.
Despite the fact that the source material, the novel, was published more than six decades ago, it still resonates well with readers. If adapted well, the people who love the book would be elated by Ripley to see their favorite work getting a visual medium. For those who haven’t read, they can also enjoy the series just the way it is without worrying too much about the source material.
Over the years, Andrew Scott has gained a massive fan following thanks to his performance as Moriarty in the popular BBC series Sherlock. His popularity further increased after he played the role of a kind-hearted priest in the comedy-drama series Fleabag. With Ripley, the audience will get to once again see the dark side of his acting chops as he gets into the skin of someone who is heartless and has no empathy.
Looking at the trailer and teaser, we get an idea that he has knocked it out of the park with his performance as the titular con-man. Fans are now waiting for the series to drop on Netflix.