What happens when a police officer is transferred to the FBI because the organization believes she has what it takes to track down someone terrorizing a city for seemingly no rhyme or reason? Audiences are about to find out with the new film To Catch a Killer.

Not to be confused with the 1992 film of the same name, Shailene Woodley stars as the cop in question in the upcoming movie. She was originally announced as the lead in 2019 exclusively by Variety when the film was operating under the title Misanthrope. Damián Szifron directed and wrote the project, with Jonathan Wakeham also serving as a writer. Szifron and Woodley are also producers alongside Stuart Manashil (Watcher) and Aaron Ryder (Arrival).

Ready to fall down the rabbit hole with a police officer as she tries to solve a case? Here's everything you need to know about To Catch a Killer.

To Catch a Killer: The Plot

After a killer terrorizes Baltimore on New Year's Eve, the local police and the FBI try to uncover any information they can to put the killing spree to an end. The Bureau believes Eleanor (Woodley), an officer with the local police department, could find something they can't in the little evidence attached to the case.

The trailer provides additional insight, particularly into why the FBI recruits Eleanor to help them solve the case. While she was originally rejected from the Bureau because of her personality assessment, they now believe that her personality could lead them to their suspect. They seem to think she could share similar personality traits and has unique insight into what drives the killer to commit such acts.

Related: Rookie Blue to FBI: Missy Peregrym’s Transformation From Beat Cop to Federal Agent

It is also evident that whoever is committing these crimes around Baltimore is skilled. One of the victims is shot while in a glass elevator, showing the abilities of the suspect. They also have the foresight not to leave fingerprints or shell casings, making the job of the authorities (and audience) that much harder.

The FBI agent Eleanor works with is heard in a voiceover saying he wants the cop "to slide down after" the suspect as the individual goes on a path of "destruction." He recognizes her talent and wants her to use it, so they can make a break in the case sooner rather than later, particularly because there seems to be no pattern in the victims. This means that anyone and everyone in Baltimore is at risk until they figure out more about the person behind the killings.

It does sound like they narrow down the suspect list, as Eleanor's voiceover toward the end of the trailer says, "They brought me in because they thought I'd understand you," implying she is speaking to the person responsible. Of course, it may just be a phone call due to the voice distortion, but we will have to wait and see.

To Catch a Killer: The Cast

shailene-woodley-big-little-lies
HBO

Shailene Woodley is Eleanor. The actress originally rose to prominence with her roles in young adult media like the ABC Family/Freeform series The Secret Life of the American Teenager, the Divergent trilogy, and the film adaptation of The Fault in Our Stars. Her film career exploded with roles in The Descendants and The Spectacular Now. Her recent work includes Adrift, The Fallout, and Big Little Lies.

Related: FBI: Most Wanted: What's Next For The Series?

Additional cast members include Ben Mendelsohn (Captain Marvel, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, The Dark Knight Rises), Jovan Adepo (Babylon, The Stand, Sorry for Your Loss), Ralph Ineson (Willow, The Witch, Game of Thrones), Rosemary Dunsmore (Chucky, Orphan Black), Michael Cram (Every Day, Shadowhunters), Jason Cavalier (Quantico, Scream VI), and Mark Camacho (X-Men: Days of Future Past, Arthur).

Release Date

To Catch a Killer is scheduled for a theatrical release on Apr. 21.

Everything Else We Know

To Catch a Killer 2023
Vertical Entertainment

The film was initially announced under the name Misanthrope. However, based on reports, it seems that was the name of the movie well into production and filming. It's unclear when the name changed, but it was likely after Vertical Entertainment bought the distribution rights for the film late last year.

The definition of the original title could give insight into the kind of person Eleanor is trying to find or even Eleanor herself. A misanthrope is someone who avoids interaction with humans and society. The person the FBI is after could be someone that is anti-social or doesn't feel like they belong in society for whatever reason. Part of why the Bureau believes Eleanor can help is because they feel her personality profile could match that of the suspect. That personality is why she wasn't accepted into the FBI to begin with, so it's curious that now they want to use her to track down someone.

Need something to watch while you wait? Check out some of the best cop shows and police procedurals here.