Call us macabre, but we love a murder mystery and we love true crime. So, yes, we are already big fans of Netflix’s The Pale Blue Eye – especially as it’s set to bring a literary icon to life in the process.

Intrigued? Here’s everything we know about The Pale Blue Eye so far. 

What is the plot of The Pale Blue Eye?

The Pale Blue Eye is adapted from Louis Bayard’s 2006 novel of the same name and teases a twisty, turny gothic mystery.

“West Point, 1830. In the early hours of a grey winter morning, a cadet is found dead. But after the body arrives at the morgue, tragedy becomes savagery when it’s discovered that the young man’s heart has been skillfully removed,” says the film’s official synopsis. 

Fearing damage to the reputation of the military academy, a local detective Augustus Landor is brought in to investigate the suspicious circumstances. Battling against the rigid codes of silence and solidarity within the military, he enlists some insider help in the form of a young eccentric and detail-orientated cadet by the name of Edgar Allan Poe.

We’re excited to see how closely – if at all – the writers stick to the plot of the original novel, as well as how they approach the portrayal of one of the most prevailing literary geniuses in all of horror history.

Who stars in The Pale Blue Eye?

Woman-of-the-moment Gillian Anderson will be starring in this thrilling murder mystery, playing an as-yet-unnamed role. However, we’re sure that the Sex Education and The Crown actor will likely bring a powerful performance to this literary horror. 

Christian Bale will be playing the world-weary detective Augustus Landor, marking the third collaboration for Bale and director Scott Cooper, who previously worked together on the thriller Out Of The Furnace and the western Hostiles.

Harry Melling, of The Queen’s Gambit and Harry Potter fame, is our young Edgar Allan Poe in the upcoming film. Easily one of the most iconic writers of our time, Poe won’t be penning poems and missives in this twisted tale. Rather, he’ll be joining Bale’s Landor to solve a grizzly murder as part of a wider and entirely eerie mystery. 

Robert Duvall and Timothy Spall join an ensemble cast that includes Lucy Boynton, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Toby Jones, Harry Lawtey, Simon McBurney and Hadley Robinson.

Is there a trailer for The Pale Blue Eye?

Thankfully, we don’t have to wait long to get a look at the upcoming mystery – Netflix has just released its official trailer, complete with all the twists and turns we’d expect.

Set across the snowy forest ranges of West Point, the trailer opens with a sea of uniform-clad military cadets as they trudge through the bleak terrain. Suddenly, a body is discovered.  It’s not long before we hear Melling’s Poe waxing lyrical, hearing his voice recite aptly dark and chilling words among the frosty imagery. 

“Down, down, down came the hot thrashing flurry,” we hear him say. “Darkest night, black with hell-channelled fury, leaving only that deathly pale blue eye.”

We also see Gillian Anderson lit ominously by candlelight – perhaps teasing a dark secret for her character? Only time will tell.

It’s a collection of stark-looking clips, paired with an unwelcoming atmosphere that we’re sure will work against the characters. The stunningly harsh elements and exquisitely created imagery promises a gothic masterpiece, and we get the feeling that not everything will be as it seems.

After all, as the renowned author said himself: “There is no exquisite beauty without some strangeness in the proportion.”

The Pale Blue Eye will be available to watch on Netflix on 6 January 2023.

Images: Netflix