Helen Mirren’s Patricia Highsmith matches wits with a real-life Ripley in A Talent For Murder trailer

In the trailer for A Talent For Murder, a fictionalized adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s life, Helen Mirren plays the reclusive writer as she is unexpectedly visited by a hesitant young publisher, Alden Ehrenreich. Mirren, known for her portrayal of psychological thrillers, quickly realizes that there is more to Ehrenreich’s visit than meets the eye, much like her famous character Tom Ripley.

The trailer depicts the suspenseful game of cat-and-mouse with Highsmith's isolated retreat, featuring murder weapon props to keep the audience on edge. The trailer is scored to Space’s 1996 hit "Female of the Species" and hints at the complexity of Highsmith's character, as she has arsenic on hand. Directed by Anton Corbijn, who has worked on films such as A Most Wanted Man and Control, the film also stars Olivia Cooke, who plays a role in the story. A Talent For Murder is set to release on October 23.