Zodiac Movies - Zodiac Discussion Forum https://forum.zodiackillerciphers.com/community/zodiac-movies/ Zodiac Killer Discussion Board en-US Wed, 24 Jun 2026 22:57:53 +0000 wpForo 60 Let's Crack Zodiac episode 12 - Zodiac and Batman https://forum.zodiackillerciphers.com/community/zodiac-movies/lets-crack-zodiac-episode-12-zodiac-and-batman/ Fri, 21 Jan 2022 10:50:05 +0000 The Riddler in the upcoming Batman movie is based on the Zodiac Killer.
This new episode of Let’s Crack Zodiac started as a quick look at how the new Riddler and his ciphers compare to Zodiac, but then turned into a deep dive into many topics:
  • The Riddler in the real FBI case files
  • Codebreaking tools
  • Zodiac-like characters and connections in vintage comics, TV shows, and movies
  • Codemaking and codebreaking in old comics, TV shows, and pulp fiction
  • Classical cryptography, secret decoder wheels, and other vintage crypto toys
  • The Mikado, and its connections to both Zodiac and Batman
  • And Ovaltine.  :)
There’s something here for everyone!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_ubR5upVKE
]]> Zodiac Movies doranchak https://forum.zodiackillerciphers.com/community/zodiac-movies/lets-crack-zodiac-episode-12-zodiac-and-batman/ Did the Zodiac case inspire this scene from Training Day? https://forum.zodiackillerciphers.com/community/zodiac-movies/did-the-zodiac-case-inspire-this-scene-from-training-day/ Sun, 14 Mar 2021 16:27:00 +0000 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZB88RISc6U https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZB88RISc6U]]> Zodiac Movies doranchak https://forum.zodiackillerciphers.com/community/zodiac-movies/did-the-zodiac-case-inspire-this-scene-from-training-day/ The Real Bryan Hartnell was in Fincher's 2007 Zodiac Movie https://forum.zodiackillerciphers.com/community/zodiac-movies/the-real-bryan-hartnell-was-in-finchers-2007-zodiac-movie/ Fri, 05 Feb 2021 01:54:36 +0000 https://screenrant.com/zodiac-movie-bry ... hen-where/ He can be seen at the 1 hour 36 minute and 28-second mark in Zodiac, or at the 1 hour, 40 minute, and 34-second mark in the director's cut. Picture from movie below...
]]> Zodiac Movies Shawn https://forum.zodiackillerciphers.com/community/zodiac-movies/the-real-bryan-hartnell-was-in-finchers-2007-zodiac-movie/ The villain in the new Batman film may be Zodiac-inspired https://forum.zodiackillerciphers.com/community/zodiac-movies/the-villain-in-the-new-batman-film-may-be-zodiac-inspired/ Tue, 22 Dec 2020 10:37:02 +0000 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD95UZIqj-Y https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-batman-riddler-riddle-in-trailer-cracked-by-amateur-sleuth/ The villain of the film, the Riddler, actually bore some similarities to Zodiac already, as both taunted law enforcement with puzzles they dared them to solve, which promised to give insight into their crimes. However, it seems as if this film is ramping up the similarities, including a cipher from the Riddler.]]> Zodiac Movies AcroyearOfSPartak https://forum.zodiackillerciphers.com/community/zodiac-movies/the-villain-in-the-new-batman-film-may-be-zodiac-inspired/ Interview with Jonathan Wright by Steven G. Farrell https://forum.zodiackillerciphers.com/community/zodiac-movies/interview-with-jonathan-wright-by-steven-g-farrell/ Mon, 28 Aug 2017 22:05:12 +0000 www.celtic-badger.com Awakening the Zodiac, a new feature film about the return of the infamous Zodiac Killer, is set to be released in theaters across the United States on June 9th. I have now had the wonderful opportunity to engage in a lengthy telephone conversation with Jonathan Wright, the director of Awakening the Zodiac. Jonathan also wrote the final script used for the shooting of the film. I was pleased to discover that Jonathan has a deep interest, as well as an intense knowledge, in the complex Zodiac case. The Zodiac Killer murdered at least five people and maimed two others during the period running from December of 1968 to October of 1969. However, many experts in all things pertaining to the Zodiac contend that this man was also responsible for four additional murders: a couple in Santa Barbara, 1963, a college coed in Riverside, 1966, and a casino nurse in Lake Tahoe, 1970. The Zodiac claimed to have murdered upwards to 37 people in one of his communications to the public. There is also a well-grounded fear by some that the number could even be higher, and that geographical mapping of Zodiac victims could even extend further than is generally believed. What makes the Zodiac Killer such a compelling figure for movies and books after all of these years is that his identity still remains a mystery. Nobody has ever be charged for any of the murders attributed to the villain known as the Zodiac. So many questions still remain unanswered. Did the Zodiac’ murderous career end abruptly in 1969, or did he continue his bloody spree beneath the radar of the police? Was the Zodiac able to go cold turkey and stop the demonic rage that propelled his attacks? Did the man in the black mask and self-designed executioner costume work as a solo act or did he have an accomplice? Did the police departments working on the case (San Francisco, Vallejo and Napa) ever really have the Zodiac’s true fingerprints and DNA? What about the handwriting: would the Zodiac be foolish enough to use his own penmanship in his taunting letters to the police and the media? I was curious to see what light Jonathan Wright had to shed on the Zodiac. 1) (SGF) Please give us an overview of your career in the film industry. (JW) I’ve been in the business for 25 years. Working my way up through the ranks in production and working as a script doctor until 8 years ago when I wrote and directed my first feature. 2) (SGF) What sparked your interest in the Zodiac Killer? (JW) Michael Baker the producer of Awakening the Zodiac approached me with the project. I immediately jumped at the chance to enter a world I knew a little about. He’s one of the most fascinating killers in history. 3) (SGF) Would you give us some insight about the research you did in preparation for your screenplay? I noticed that you had an interest in the codes that the Zodiac sent to the newspapers. (JW) I spent most of my time digging through the FBI’s files on the Zodiac. The cipher’s were so interesting to me and the fact that one was never solved, it seemed obvious to me that this should be the main plot point of the movie. 4) (SGF) You expressed an interest in serial killers in general. How would you compare and contrast the Zodiac with serial killers such as Jack the Ripper, BTK, Ted Bundy or the Green River Killer? (JW) They are all terrifying in their own right. Jack the Ripper seemed to set the profile for many serial killers to come by killing sex workers, citizens that quite often are forgotten or nobody cares about. BTK, Bundy and the Green River Killer seem to share to insatiable appetite for killing. It’s interesting the BTK found a solution to curbing his appetite for blood using auto-erotic asphyxia. I believe that the Zodiac killer was probably imprisoned for another crime which led to his disappearance. The Zodiac also seemed to me as someone very mad at the world, the government in particular. That made him stand out among these other serial killers 5) (SGF) Which of the four canonical Zodiac attacks influenced you the most in the development of your script? Please connect them the possibility that the Zodiac and an accomplice actually filmed the attacks to make their own homemade “snuff films.” The image of Bryan Hartnell’s VW Karmman Ghia’s door with the writing on it, including the symbol, the dates of his previous attacks and the words “By knife” resonated with me. His taunting of the police. The witness accounts of Zodiac flashing a bright light in his victim’s eyes and that the zodiac symbol could have been the countdown on a film strip attracted me to the theory that he filmed his kills. I’ve also heard the theory that there was a team of men, which seems a little less likely, but possible. 6) (SGF) Why do you think the Zodiac eluded justice for many years? Could it be because he was a criminal mastermind or a genius? What was his motivation in creating his Zodiac alter ego? (JW) I believe he eluded justice the same way most serial killers do. The killing of random people without any personal connection. When someone kills, they are usually driven by passion or malice. When a serial killer strikes, it is almost always without any personal connection with the victims. His alter ego for me was a tool to heighten the terror that he inflicted. 7) What chance is there that the Zodiac is still alive? Are you afraid that Awakening the Zodiac will provoke a response from you? (JW) For me, I believe it was Arthur Leigh Allen, that helps me sleep at night seeing as he is dead, but there are many theories out there. Some people think that there was three men working together, some think it was two completely separate killers taking credit for all of the murders. There are theories out there of men who are still alive that have never been mentioned in any interviews or research that people think are the Zodiac. Sometimes that keeps me up at night. 8) Did the actors (Shane West, Leslie Bibb and Matt Craven) in the film share your interest in the Zodiac? Matt Craven learned how to solve Ciphers and studied the Zodiac’s cipher which amazed me. Leslie Bibb had previously taken the FBI training course for a previous project. Shane West is a hardcore genre fan so they all came to the project with so much. 9) What’s next for you? (JW) I’m currently casting a super fun heist movie while also writing a couple of serial killer thrillers!]]> Zodiac Movies BugsMoran https://forum.zodiackillerciphers.com/community/zodiac-movies/interview-with-jonathan-wright-by-steven-g-farrell/ Hounds of Zaroff movie coming next month https://forum.zodiackillerciphers.com/community/zodiac-movies/hounds-of-zaroff-movie-coming-next-month/ Mon, 12 Dec 2016 14:52:01 +0000 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4523220/?ref_=tt_rec_tt It says the release date is Jan. 7, 2017. "Rachel wakes up to discover she is trapped on an island and must survive while being hunted by the madman Zaroff, a Russian game hunter."]]> Zodiac Movies ophion1031 https://forum.zodiackillerciphers.com/community/zodiac-movies/hounds-of-zaroff-movie-coming-next-month/ Upcoming Zodiac Killer movie https://forum.zodiackillerciphers.com/community/zodiac-movies/upcoming-zodiac-killer-movie/ Wed, 22 Jun 2016 01:09:54 +0000 http://loudwire.com/five-finger-death-p ... er-film-z/
With Five Finger Death Punch in between tours at the moment, guitarist Jason Hook recently took some time out to take on an acting gig. Hook landed a role in the upcoming movie, Z, about the Zodiac Killer and he’s posted some photos from the set. The guitarist is all cleaned up for the role, taking on the part of an FBI agent for the feature. The film also features actor Shane West and actress Leslie Bibb, though little is known about the movie that appears to be in the early stages of filming. “Took a bit of a departure today, acting in my first film for Sony Pictures called Z about the Zodiac killer (40 years after the original murders),” stated Hook in one posting. “Played the part of an FBI agent. Shot on location in Ottawa, Ontario. I managed to get through my scene without screwing it up! LOL! Back to Vegas in the morning to continue recording with the guys.”
]]> Zodiac Movies doranchak https://forum.zodiackillerciphers.com/community/zodiac-movies/upcoming-zodiac-killer-movie/ Phantom of the Paradise 1974 https://forum.zodiackillerciphers.com/community/zodiac-movies/phantom-of-the-paradise-1974/ Tue, 22 Mar 2016 10:25:44 +0000 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071994/ http://www.phantomoftheparadise.ca/why2.html by Doug Carlson Phantom of the Paradise opened in the United States on October 31, 1974. "Opened" is used somewhat euphemistically, as the movie inexplicably played to mostly empty cinemas and was gone quicker than that year's Halloween candy. Phantom took a bit longer to make it up to the Great White North. The first anyone would have heard of it in Winnipeg was from a tantalizing ad placed in local papers on Saturday, December 21, 1974. "HE SOLD HIS SOUL FOR ROCK 'N' ROLL" the intriguing tagline promised. Who was this helmeted character standing before a keyboard, surrounded by what looked like pill bottles and recording equipment? Curious movie-goers fed up with leftover Christmas turkey would find out at noon on Boxing Day at the downtown Garrick cinema, where the film would play every two hours 'til midnight. It is presumed that those first audiences liked what they saw, for Phantom screenings soon became the stuff of local legend. Featuring Supersonic Stereophonic sound pumped from giant speakers more common to rock concerts, a massive screen and 820 magenta-and-purple seats, the luxurious 'op-art' Garrick cinema rocked out on weekends to packed houses singing along to every song and hanging on every synthesized word of Winslow Leach's doomed love affair with Phoenix. (This writer recalls attending a Saturday afternoon screening and literally tripping over many sets of legs in a desperate search for an empty seat.) It was not unheard of for a young Phantom fan to pay for a single admission at noon, only to stagger out near midnight having sat through six consecutive screenings...such was the reward for making it past the legendarily stern box-office gatekeeper, the Lady with the Big Red Glasses. Music and murder, thrice nightly. Phantom of the Paradise poster and album cover artFor most of us, the Phantom experience was a weekly ritual, spent with our friends in a lush downtown movie theatre that Timothy Leary himself might have decorated, catching an outrageous 91-minute glimpse of a tantalizing, if bizarre, adult world. (This was not your older brother's Disney movie.) Crackling with neon blues, greens, and purples against a gorgeous palette of leather-black, helmet-silver and blood-red, Phantom was also irresistible eye candy for a generation still accustomed to black-and-white TV. It must also be noted that Phantom, in no uncertain terms, rocked; one is hard-pressed to find a more potent ten minutes in all of Brian De Palma's filmmaking than the sound and fury of his 'opening of the Paradise' sequence. We'd simply never seen or heard anything like this before, in or out of a movie theatre. For some of us, reality itself began to pale in comparison: the weekday drudgery of Mr. Muggs readers and Hilroy scribblers was, of course, no match for Saturdays spent watching Beef being electrocuted with a neon lighting bolt... For a generation of kids who spent their Saturdays waking up to The Hilarious House of Frightenstein, eating dinner to The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Hour, and going to bed watching Chiller Thriller, "getting" Phantom of the Paradise was a no-brainer. It made us laugh. It made us sing. It made us cry at the end. It made us want to be rock stars, or actors, or filmmakers ourselves. What more did any 10-year-old want in a movie? By late February of 1975, something was clearly happening. In the last week of the month, two ads appeared for sale of the brand new Phantom of the Paradise soundtrack album, which began flying off the shelves at downtown record stores like Kelly's, Mother's Music Explosion, Autumn Stone, Opus 69, and even their decidedly less hip neighbour, The Bay. The soundtrack continued to sell, and sell, and sell throughout March 1975. By day, across the city, elementary and junior high schoolyards were witness to our very own passion play, as we acted out scenes from the movie during lunch hours and recess (I was always Winslow, if you're curious). By night, we listened to the soundtrack until the grooves wore out, then received additional positive reinforcement from the seemingly ubiquitous TV ads playing late-night on CKY-TV. Helplessly caught in a winter-long feedback loop, we obeyed our media masters and saw Phantom as often as we could. Simply put, going to see Phantom of the Paradise was cool. These were good times.]]> Zodiac Movies ophion1031 https://forum.zodiackillerciphers.com/community/zodiac-movies/phantom-of-the-paradise-1974/ Zodiac sequel with Jake Gylennhaal https://forum.zodiackillerciphers.com/community/zodiac-movies/zodiac-sequel-with-jake-gylennhaal/ Fri, 04 Dec 2015 06:18:32 +0000 http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Hear ... er-desktop]]> Zodiac Movies morf13 https://forum.zodiackillerciphers.com/community/zodiac-movies/zodiac-sequel-with-jake-gylennhaal/ House of Zodiac (1969) https://forum.zodiackillerciphers.com/community/zodiac-movies/house-of-zodiac-1969/ Thu, 17 Sep 2015 14:58:25 +0000 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3635510/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_30 Written by Gary Crutcher Directed by Jack Starrett Special Effects by James M. Tanenbaum. He has worked on a ton of movies including Avatar and the Untouchables. Gary Crutcher is offering $5,000 to anyone who can find him a copy of the film. Apparently it was filmed in 1968 or 1969 and was never released. Gary says with a laugh. "It was based on a five-day bum acid trip I had taken, about the same time Nicholson wrote THE TRIP. We had thirteen beautiful girls in it, including Rita Murray (RUNAWAY RUNAWAY) and Lavelle Roby (FINDERS KEEPERS, LOVERS WEEPERS), each one representing a sign of the zodiac. Craig Rumar, Jack Starrett, Richard Compton and I were all involved as producers. We shot it on weekends for very little money and we were stoned out of our heads, but we did get the film made. There was an answer print and I saw it at a screening room on the Sunset Strip with Paul Koslo, who was the lead, and Crosby, Stills & Nash, who were going to do the music. But we ran out of money before we could finish it, and the story goes on and on and on from there. If anyone can find a print of it for me, they got $5,000. I really would love to see it again, and I could probably get it out on DVD." Paul Koslo's character was actually called "The Zodiac Killer." Here is a very small portion of an interview Koslo did in 2001. This is the only part of the interview where he talks about the movie... IAL Archive: The Losers was a strange hybrid of biker and Vietnam War flicks. Your character, Limpy, had a touching relationship with a Vietnamese prostitute and her black baby, fathered by the Army Captain leading the rescue mission. PK: That was my first movie in America. Actually, my second movie. The first movie I did was never released. It was called The Zodiac Killer, which was also directed by Jack Starrett, who directed The Losers. IAL Archive: What part did you play in The Zodiac Killer? PK: I played the Zodiac Killer. IAL Archive: So, you had the lead role and the film didnt get released. PK: Yeah. It was done on a bet. Actually, Jack Starrett made a bet with some people in Vegas that he could make a full-length 35-mm feature for fifteen thousand dollars. I think it took another twenty thousand to do the postproduction. IAL Archive: That is going pretty cheap, even for back then. PK: Exactly. He won the bet, needless to say. Here is a page of the script... ]]> Zodiac Movies ophion1031 https://forum.zodiackillerciphers.com/community/zodiac-movies/house-of-zodiac-1969/