Netflix's new original film The Whisper Man, starring Adam Scott, is drawing praise for blending the tragic family drama of Zach Cregger's Weapons with the serial-killer thriller tension of The Silence of the Lambs. The film follows Tom (Scott) and his troubled son Jake, who is abducted by a predator after struggling to fit in at home, weaving themes of child neglect and abandonment into a police procedural mystery. Its arrival marks what critics are calling a return to form for Netflix, which has recently struggled to stand out amid fierce streaming competition.

The cast includes Michelle Monaghan as a detective likened to Clarice Starling, Robert De Niro as Tom's estranged father, and Michael Keaton in a scene-stealing turn as imprisoned killer Frank Carter, echoing Hannibal Lecter. The film pairs a '90s-style serial-killer mystery with the emotionally resonant themes that made Weapons a hit in 2025, resulting in what reviewers describe as a compelling, well-cast thriller that leaves audiences wanting more.