Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Pattinson’s Serial Killer Movie Goes to Netflix

Adam McKay and Netflix are taking a stab at Average Height, Average Build. The Oscar-winning writer of The Big Short and director of Vice is reuniting with Don’t Look Up streamer Netflix for the star-studded serial killer movie, described as an “allegorical dramedy” about a serial killer (The Batman‘s Robert Pattinson) who enters the political realm in an effort to make laws more “murder-friendly.” McKay’s cast includes Amy Adams (Vice), Forest Whitaker (Big George Foreman), Danielle Deadwyler (Till), and Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer), who most recently produced and appeared in his documentary Sr. for Netflix. Deadline first reported the news. 

According to the outlet: “Pattinson will play a serial killer who enlists a lobbyist (Adams) to change laws that will allow him to get away with murder more easily. Downey’s role is a retired cop who won’t give up on the murders, and the killer tries to prevent him from dogging his trail now that he’s hung up his gun. The serial killer turns himself into a cause celebre, a Mr. Smith Goes to Washington figure shielding his true motives.”

McKay chose to take Average Height, Average Build to Netflix after his most recent film, 2021’s Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence-starring Don’t Look Up, debuted as the streamer’s second most-watched movie in its first weekend after Red Notice. The star-studded satire and apocalyptic comedy emerged as Netflix’s second-most-popular film ever globally (behind Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot’s action-comedy Red Notice) with 360 million hours viewed in its first month on the service, and went on to earn four Academy Award nominations, including screenplay and Best Picture.

Aside from his mainstream roles in the Christopher Nolan-directed Tenet and as a DC Comics superhero in filmmaker Matt Reeves’ Batman reboot, Pattinson has received acclaim for films from Robert Eggers (The Lighthouse) and Benny and Josh Safdie (Good Time). Pattinson previously starred in The Devil All the Time and director David Michôd’s The King for Netflix.

Average Height, Average Build will stream on Netflix. A release date is TBA.