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Movies & TV

24th Feb 2020

New four-part documentary series examines the Zodiac Killer from a jaw-dropping perspective

Paul Moore

Zodiac Killer

A new take on the most infamous cold case in history.

At the start of the year, JOE picked a plethora of new documentaries that piqued our interest for 2020 and the first trailer for one of the most intriguing features has been released.

For six decades, the identity of the Zodiac Killer has continued to baffle and intrigue.

For context, the killer operated in Northern California from at least the late 1960s to the early 1970s. The Zodiac Killer murdered victims in Benicia, Vallejo, Napa County, and San Francisco between December 1968 and October 1969.

The killer targeted four men and three women between the ages of 16 and 29, with two of the men surviving attempted murder.

The Zodiac himself claimed to have killed up to 37 victims. The killer originated the name “Zodiac” in a series of taunting letters and cards sent to the local Bay Area press. The letters included four cryptograms (or ciphers) and of the four cryptograms sent, only one has been definitively solved.

The serial killer who terrorised the Bay Area in the late 1960s has been the subject of numerous films, books and TV shows.

However, The Most Dangerous Animal of All – a new four-part documentary series on FX is taking a very unique approach to the legendary cold case.

The four-part series is based on the book by Gary L. Stewart, whose search for the father he never knew led him to believe he might be the son of the notorious Zodiac Killer.

In terms of an official synopsis, the documentary “explores Gary L. Stewart’s search for the father who abandoned him, only to uncover the worst: he believes his father is the Zodiac Killer, one of the most infamous serial killers in American history. It’s an honest depiction of true life and true crime unexpectedly merging to upend one man’s understanding of his own identity.”

The four-part series is executive produced by Ross M. Dinerstein (The Innocent Man) and Academy Award-nominated director Kief Davidson (The Ivory Game), The Most Dangerous Animal of All.

At present, details about an Irish premiere haven’t been confirmed but The Most Dangerous Animal of All will debut in the US on FX on 6 March and on Hulu a day later.

Take a look at what’s in store.

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Topics:

Documentary,TV