When does the Zodiac Killer Project release? Explained
The new documentary Zodiac Killer Project, which explores the infamous case of the Zodiac Killer, premiered on January 27, 2025, in Park City as part of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. It will also be available for streaming on the Sundance Film Festival Player starting January 30, 2025. The film is about the unidentified serial murderer who terrorized the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 1960s.
Produced by Loop, the film is directed by Charlie Shackleton and features a team of producers, including Catherine Bray, Anthony Ing, and Shackleton himself, with cinematography by Xenia Patricia.
The documentary explores the case of the Zodiac Killer, the pseudonym of an unidentified serial killer responsible for many murders in the San Francisco Bay Area between December 1968 and October 1969.
Widely regarded as the most famous unsolved murder case in American history, the Zodiac Killer's crimes have captivated the public imagination and inspired both popular culture and amateur sleuthing efforts for decades.
Read more: 5 chilling details about the Zodiac Killer
Zodiac Killer Project joins Sundance 2025 lineup
The documentary Zodiac Killer Project has been officially selected for the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, adding its name to a roster of films showcased at one of the world’s most renowned festivals.
The festival is set to run in person from January 23 to February 2, 2025, across Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, and will also feature an online component from January 30 to February 2. The initial lineup, which includes the Zodiac Killer Project, was unveiled on December 11, 2024.
This year’s festival may mark the end of an era in Utah. Sundance organizers are exploring new venue options for 2027 and beyond, with Park City and Salt Lake City among the finalists, alongside Boulder, Colorado, and Cincinnati, Ohio.
Other notable selections at Sundance 2025 include Kahlil Joseph’s BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions, Amanda Kramer’s By Design, Kate Beecroft’s East of Wall, and Pasqual Gutierrez’s Serious People.
Read more: Fact check: Was the Zodiac killer ever caught? Insights revealed
Zodiac Killer Project conception and the supposed adaptation
The film emerged as a unique documentary shaped by unexpected challenges, including its supposed adaptation during its development. Directed by British filmmaker Charlie Shackleton, known for works such as Beyond Clueless, Fear Itself, and Paint Drying, the project initially aimed to adapt a book titled The Zodiac Killer Cover-Up: The Silenced Badge by Lyndon E. Lafferty.
Lafferty, a former California highway patrol officer and investigator of the Zodiac Killer case authored the book based on his theories surrounding the infamous serial killer. According to the Collider report in January 2025, Shackleton’s original plan was to create a documentary centered on Lafferty's investigations and the book’s narrative.
However, after extensive planning and research, Lafferty's family declined to grant the rights to adapt the book. This made Shackleton abandon the direct adaptation and reimagine the project entirely.
The result is a documentary that shifts its focus. Instead of working directly into the Zodiac Killer case or Lafferty's work, the Zodiac Killer Project becomes Shackleton’s true crime storytelling.
Shackleton offers a monologue about the challenges of making the documentary and presents a hypothetical pitch of what the film could have been. This unconventional approach makes Shackleton himself the center of the documentary Zodiac Killer Project.
Read more: "It's not him": Reddit theory rules out Arthur Leigh Allen believing there's more than one Zodiac Killer
Who is the Zodiac Killer?
The Zodiac Killer is the pseudonym of an unidentified serial killer who terrorized Northern California during the late 1960s. Between December 1968 and October 1969, the killer is confirmed to have murdered five victims in the San Francisco Bay Area.
The Zodiac Killer became infamous not only for the brutality of the crimes but also for the taunting letters, ciphers, and cryptic messages sent to newspapers and law enforcement.
According to a report by SFGate in October 2000, the unidentified killer would begin, "This is the Zodiac speaking," in letters to newspapers, including details that only the killer could have known. These communications, signed with a symbol resembling a crosshair, added to the mystery and fear surrounding the case.
Despite extensive investigations and numerous theories, the true identity of the Zodiac Killer remains unknown. The case is regarded as one of the most famous unsolved murder cases in American history and continues to captivate the public and inspire true crime discussions to this day.
When and where to watch Zodiac Killer Project
The Zodiac Killer Project will be available for streaming on the Sundance Film Festival Player starting January 30, 2025, at 11:00 PM. However, the ticket has to be bought for online viewing.
To access Zodiac Killer Project, simply launch the Sundance Film Festival Player app on your TV and connect your account.
The documentary will be available online for the general public from January 30 to February 2, while credentialed press and industry professionals can view it from January 29 to February 2.
In the app, Zodiac Killer Project can only be viewed in authorized regions, including the U.S., Guam, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Once available, viewers will have 3 days and 15 hours to begin watching Zodiac Killer Project. After starting, there will be a 5-hour window to finish the 92-minute film. The documentary is also available in person at the Sundance Film Festival.
