Netflix has released the official trailer for UNABOMBER, an upcoming feature film slated for release on September 25, 2026. According to Netflix, the project stars Jacob Tremblay as a young Ted Kaczynski and explores a dual-timeline narrative spanning his formative years at Harvard University and his eventual capture by FBI agent Joanne Miller, played by Shailene Woodley.
Tracing the Harvard Origins and Psychological Experiments
The upcoming film traces Ted Kaczynski’s trajectory from a mathematical prodigy when he was 16 entering Harvard University to a domestic terrorist orchestrating a decades-long mail bombing campaign. According to Netflix coverage, screenwriters Sam Chalsen and Nelson Greaves conceived the project after hearing a radio anecdote about Kaczynski’s time at Harvard. That discovery led them to investigate the dark chapter involving unethical psychological experiments conducted on students.
Academy Award winner Russell Crowe stars as Professor Henry Murray, the controversial Harvard psychologist who subjects a struggling young Kaczynski to intense and destabilizing tests. According to director Janus Metz, quoted on Netflix, the production relies on a crosscutting structure that shifts between the making of the Unabomber in his academic youth and the extensive federal manhunt decades later.
Dual Timelines and the Federal Manhunt
Balancing the mid-century academic sequences is the modern investigative spine of the film. Shailene Woodley steps into the role of Joanne Miller, the FBI agent tasked with tracking down the elusive bomber. According to Netflix materials, the hunt for the Unabomber stands as the longest and most expensive operation in FBI history to date.
Director Janus Metz noted that Woodley’s character shares a distinct thematic parallel with Kaczynski. Both figures exhibit an uncompromising reliance on their personal intuition and an unwillingness to back down, despite their radically opposing motives. The feature film’s supporting cast features Annabelle Wallis as Christiana Morgan, alongside Alexander Ludwig, Steven Ogg, and Marc Menchaca.
Casting Choices and Production Architecture
Casting Jacob Tremblay as the young Kaczynski was a foundational decision for the film’s director. Metz recognized Tremblay’s talent after seeing his performance in Christian Swegal’s 2025 film Sovereign, noting that the young actor possesses the necessary vulnerability and intelligence to anchor the complex historical drama.
Tremblay approached the role aiming to avoid cartoonish villainy, stating via Netflix that he wanted to portray Kaczynski as a real person by drawing on his own personal experiences. Produced by Sophie Cassidy for 2.0 Entertainment in association with MRC, UNABOMBER is set to premiere globally on Netflix on September 25, 2026.
