Netflix fans left 'creeped out' over first Woman of the Hour trailer

Netflix's upcoming film, Woman of the Hour, has just released its first official trailer, and it's already sending shivers down viewers' spines. The movie draws inspiration from a real-life serial killer who chillingly appeared on a TV dating show in the seventies.

Anna Kendrick makes her directorial debut with this gripping tale, also taking on the lead role as Cheryl Bradshaw, an aspiring actress whose life takes a dark turn when she encounters a murderer on The Dating Game. The film is rooted in the harrowing true story of Rodney Alcala, a convicted serial killer who not only appeared on but won a date on the show in 1978.

The woman who picked him would later refuse to go out with him, reportedly calling him "creepy". Alcala, who had already committed multiple murders before his television stint, continued his killing spree after the show. He was eventually convicted for seven murders, but the actual victim count is thought to be much higher, reports the Manchester Evening News.

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Woman of the Hour delves into the events around the infamous TV episode, primarily through the perspective of Cheryl, portrayed by Kendrick. The official synopsis teases: "The stranger-than-fiction story of an aspiring actress in 1970s Los Angeles and a serial killer in the midst of a years-long murder spree, whose lives intersect when they're cast on an episode of The Dating Game."

The trailer, which dropped on Tuesday (October 1), reveals how Kendrick's character finds herself in the same studio as Alcala, played by Daniel Zovatto.

Watch the trailer for Woman of the Hour below

One viewer reacted to the footage, saying: "Rodney Alcala.... that just creeped me all kinds of out," while another expressed their anticipation for the film, writing: "Anna Kendrick giving me another reason to live through 2024! This looks amazing."

Another comment under the trailer read: "Finally the Dating Game Killer is being played on screen. Rodney Alcala is one of the worst serial killers in mankind history. Cheryl needs to thank her gut instinct of refusing to go out on a date with her possible predator, period!".

Rodney Alcala passed away from natural causes in July 2021 at the age of 77 while awaiting execution. Investigators across the United States have linked Alcala to murders in Los Angeles and Marin County in California; Seattle, Washington; New York; New Hampshire and Arizona.

Woman of the Hour is available to stream on Netflix from October 18