Deep Dive: Zodiac Killer Project (2025)
Film Lens

Zodiac Killer Project is a documentary directed, produced, and edited by Charlie Shackleton. It chronicles Shackleton's unsuccessful attempt to create a film about the Zodiac Killer, a notorious unidentified serial killer active in Northern California during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The film presents a personal narrative intertwined with the broader themes of true crime and filmmaking, reflecting on the complexities and pitfalls of the genre.
The documentary premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 27, 2025, where it won the NEXT Innovator Award. It was later screened at several other festivals, including True/False Film Festival and South by Southwest. The film received a nomination for Best Documentary Feature at the 9th Astra Film Awards, indicating its recognition within the documentary community.
Why Watch
- •See Charlie Shackleton's unique take on true crime.
- •Find out why it won the NEXT Innovator Award.
- •Meet the challenges of documentary filmmaking.
Did You Know
•The film premiered on January 27, 2025, at Sundance Film Festival.
•Zodiac Killer Project won the NEXT Innovator Award at its premiere.
•It screened at True/False Film Festival on February 28, 2025.
•The film was acquired by Music Box Films for US distribution in April 2025.
•It received a Metacritic score of 73 out of 100 based on 20 critics.
Perfect For
True crime enthusiastsDocumentary filmmakersFilm festival fans