Netflix releases a trailer for the limited series Unbelievable. Based on the 2015 investigative report “An Unbelievable Story of Rape” by T. Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong, the drama stars Kaitlyn Dever (Booksmart), Toni Collette (Hereditary), Merritt Wever (Nurse Jackie), and Danielle Macdonald (Bird Box).
Developed for television by Erin Brockovich writer Susannah Grant, Unbelievable follows the story of a teenager who reports a rape, only to be charged for making a false accusation. Dever portrays the central figure, with Collette and Wever co-starring as detectives who look deeper into the story. The subsequent investigation leads authorities to cases across numerous states, as the evidence suggests that an unidentified perpetrator manipulated the judicial system to stay one step ahead; a concept that's detailed in Netflix’s 2019 docuseries Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes. Netflix’s Unbelievable was written by Grant, Ayelet Waldman, and Michael Chabon, the last of whom received a Pulitzer Prize for his 2000 novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay. Waldman - Chabon’s wife - is also an accomplished novelist and essayist. In January 2018, Netflix ordered Unbelievable and set the main cast five months later.
On YouTube, Netflix released Unbelieveable’s trailer. Early on, Dever’s Marie recounts her experience with authorities, shaking her hands while detailing the specifics. But once the investigators look over the evidence - no signs of forced entry, no DNA, no witnesses - they come to the conclusion that Marie created a fictional story, especially when she notes that she’s “pretty positive” about what happened. By the trailer’s middle section, the attention shifts to other cases, as Collette and Wever’s characters investigate new sexual assault cases. As they collect evidence, the data suggests that a serial rapist is on the loose. Furthermore, the detectives discuss the possibility that eight separate police departments across various states are all investigating “identical" crimes. During the trailer’s last section, a montage sequence teases the inherent suspense of the limited series, all the while highlighting the backlash that Dever’s character faced online in real life. The clip ends with Marie discussing the dilemma of having friends who refuse to believe “inconvenient” truths. Check out the Unbelievable trailer below.
Earlier this year, Dever starred in Olivia Wilde’s feature directorial debut Booksmart, a role that made the American actress more visible in pop culture. Over the past decade, Dever has progressively compiled a strong resume in both television in feature films, including a main role in the Tim Allen series Last Man Standing. In 2013, Dever had a small role in the indie festival circuit hit Short Term 12, a drama featuring a cast full of stars-in-the-making like Brie Larson, Lakeith Stanfield, and Rami Malek.
With Unbelievable, Dever has an opportunity to further establish herself as one of 2019’s most fascinating performers. Most importantly, the Netflix limited series will bring attention to a difficult topic, one that will undoubtedly educate viewers about the bureaucratic complexities of investigative procedures. Unbelievable will premiere September 13 on Netflix.
Source: Netflix