Robert De Niro is returning to screens with another Netflix project following the release of the series Zero Day last year. His new film The Whisper Man, adapted from Alex North's novel, features the veteran actor in the lead role of a retired police detective tasked with finding a missing grandson. However, the film bears striking similarities to Fritz Lang's classic thriller M, which is considered the greatest murder mystery of the black-and-white cinema era.

In The Whisper Man, De Niro plays Detective Inspector Pete Willis; this character shares distinct traits with Inspector Karl Lohmann from the film M. Set to be released exclusively on Netflix, this production represents the continuation of De Niro's recent foray into television. It appears that the actor is maintaining his collaboration with Netflix, especially following the traditional theatrical performances of the Zero Day miniseries scheduled for March 2025.

The cast of the film includes star actors such as Adam Scott, Michelle Monaghan, Michael Keaton, and John Carroll Lynch alongside De Niro. However, the most intriguing aspect is De Niro's role; as the actor typically prefers to portray characters on the other side of law and order. The first visuals of The Whisper Man depict a murder investigation related to the disappearance of an eight-year-old child, where the ghosts of past trauma linger. In this regard, the film reflects the disturbing atmosphere of Fritz Lang's M.

M tells the story of a weary detective who carries the collective burden of grieving families while trying to catch a serial killer who abducts and kills children. De Niro's retired detective Pete Willis struggles with the trauma of an unsolved murder, while Inspector Karl Lohmann is tortured by his obsession with escape. In both films, the killer frightens their victims through a song or rhyme known to children. The killer in The Whisper Man is hidden in a small-town setting, creating terror and suspicion among the local residents; similarly, the central figure in M generates panic in the city of Berlin.

It was officially announced in April that The Whisper Man would be released on Netflix on August 28. This marks the second consecutive year that Robert De Niro has collaborated with Netflix. Although the actor does not officially have a long-term partnership with Netflix, more collaborations with them are expected in the coming years. At this point, the direct release of The Whisper Man exclusively on Netflix without a cinematic showing indicates that De Niro is beginning to accept the kind of projects he previously shied away from.