Netflix's new thriller, 'The Whisper Man,' which centers on a serial killer targeting children with a distinctive whispering method, is not based on a true story. The film is an adaptation of Alex North's 2019 bestselling crime novel of the same name.
Directed by James Ashcroft, the movie follows Tom Kennedy, a crime novelist played by Adam Scott, whose investigative skills are called upon when his son, Jake, is abducted. The circumstances of the abduction echo those of a serial killer previously apprehended by Tom's estranged father, a retired detective portrayed by Robert De Niro. This familial connection forces father and son to collaborate.
Alex North, the author of the novel, shared that an idea for the story emerged when his young son described playing with "the boy in the floor" after they moved into a new home. This element is mirrored in the film through Jake's interactions with imaginary friends, some of whom are depicted as frightening.
While North conducted research into real-life serial killers for his novel, the specific methods attributed to the fictional serial killer in 'The Whisper Man'—including kidnapping children, recording whispered interviews, and strangulation—are entirely fabricated. The characters and the plot are not derived from any real individuals or actual criminal cases.