Russell Crowe, Shailene Woodley, and more are starring in Netflix thriller about the infamous Unabomber terrorist. Ted Kaczynski was a former Harvard math prodigy who became known as the Unabomber by conducting a series of mail bombings across the United States from 1978 to 1995, killing three individuals and wounding 23 others, targeting those whom he saw as contributors to technological progress and environmental degradation. Though his story has been widely covered by documentaries, dramatizations have been far fewer.

Now, Netflix is in production on UNABOM, which will tell the true story of the Unabomber. Jacob Tremblay stars as a young Ted Kaczynski alongside Russell Crowe as Henry Murray, his psychology professor at Harvard, and Shailene Woodley as Joanne Miller, the FBI agent tasked with hunting him. Annabelle Wallis also stars as Christiana Morgan, Professor Murray's academic partner and co-director of the Harvard Psychological Clinic. Janus Metz is directing UNABOM, with a script written by Sam Chalsen and Nelson Greaves. Metz shared the following statement on Tremblay's casting as Kaczynski:

Jacob Tremblay is an immensely talented young actor. He has a sensitivity that feels perfect for my vision of Ted when he was a young student at Harvard. There’s a vulnerability and intelligence to Jacob’s look and performance that this story needs. I was convinced that Jacob was right for the part after our first conversation and it has been a huge pleasure to now finally be able to do the work and hone in on the character with him.

The film's title, as well as the nickname "Unabomber," originates from the FBI's code name for the investigation into Kaczynski: UNABOM, an abbreviation for UNiversity and Airline BOMbing.

What This Means For Netflix's UNABOM

It's Taking A Unique Approach To Ted Kaczynski's Story

Based on true events, the Netflix movie will explore the harrowing evolution of Ted Kaczynski from a brilliant Harvard student who later became known as the notorious Unabomber. The focus of the story will be how, during his time at Harvard, he was subjected to controversial psychological experiments by Professor Henry Murray, which left a lasting effect on him. Years later, his deadly bombing campaign led to an investigation led by FBI agent Joanne Miller, which uncovered this dark intersection of psychological manipulation, isolation, and the destructive power of genius.

Director Janus Metz describes UNABOM as a dual-timeline story that explores how Ted Kaczynski, feeling alienated from society, turned to violence as revenge. Metz was initially intrigued by the scale of the FBI's manhunt, which was their longest and most costly in history, but what really drew her to the project was the lesser-known chapter of Kaczynski's life at Harvard, a disturbing part of the story that she felt compelled to explore. Read her full comments below:

UNABOM is a story about a young man who feels increasingly disenfranchised by society and decides to take up violence as a means of revenge. We crosscut between two timelines, roughly speaking: the making of the Unabomber and the capture of the Unabomber.

I was fascinated by the fact that the hunt for the Unabomber was the FBI’s longest and most expensive operation to date. But what really drew me in was the story about Ted Kaczynski’s years at Harvard when he was a young math student. This was a side to the story I didn’t know about; it helps uncover a very dark chapter in American history.

Our Take On Netflix's UNABOM

It Needs To Be Careful

While the Unabomber has been widely covered by documentaries over the years, there haven't been as many high-profile dramatizations​​​​​​, possibly due to the complex psychological and philosophical nature of his crimes and manifesto, which pose challenges in crafting a respectful yet compelling narrative without glamorizing or oversimplifying his actions. In turn, Netflix's UNABOM will need to tread carefully to avoid sensationalism, ensuring that it respects the victims and never romanticizes Ted Kaczynski's violence or extremist ideology.

While Netflix's UNABOM is now in production, it doesn't yet have a release date.

Source: Netflix