Entertainment · 23 November 2025

Zodiac doc becomes film about true crime

Bryan Berlin via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

British filmmaker Charlie Shackleton's documentary project about the Zodiac Killer collapsed when the Lafferty family withdrew rights to a retired cop's book claiming to identify the serial killer. Shackleton transformed his failure into a meta-documentary examining true crime industry tropes, analyzing formulaic techniques like dramatic reenactments, evocative B-roll footage, and manufactured suspense that make different crimes indistinguishable.

By BriefTea Editorial · 23 November 2025 at 12:18

Reported by NPR · How we write briefs

Get the app

More briefs

EntertainmentR-Truth appears fine after SmackDown injury scare but needs checks next week EntertainmentBus passengers face £100 fines for playing music out loud EntertainmentBBC to air two-part documentary on J.K. Rowling next year EntertainmentArion Kurtaj, GTA 6 leaker, stands trial November 9 EntertainmentPrince Harry says he felt depressed after leaving UK in 2019 EntertainmentParents use AI to remove watermarks from school photos instead of paying More entertainment stories → Browse all stories →