The disappearance of themurder mystery genrefrom the filmmaking industry is a mystery in itself. For whatever reason, audiences weren’t interested in feature-length mystery stories, with television and serialized formats becoming much more popular. Thankfully in recent years, murder mystery stories have officially returned in spectacular fashion, withKenneth Branagh’s recentAgatha Christieadaptationsas well asRian Johnson’s massively successful original who-dun-it series, the ambitiousKnives Outfranchise. With the new year of 2023, this uptick in murder mystery films is set to continue, with the first week of January set to introduce yet another adaptation of a critically acclaimed novel. That adaptation isThe Pale Blue Eye, based on the best-selling novel of the same name by authorLouis Bayard.
In what can best be described asA Few Good Men(1992) set in the early 1800s,The Pale Blue Eyefollows the tale of world-renowned detective Augustus Landor (Christian Bale), who is brought in to investigate the death of a student at West Point Academy in New York. The aspiring cadet was found hanging in his dorm, but what makes the death so unusual is that the victim’s heart has been removed from his chest. This sets Landor on a quest to crack the strangest and most difficult case of his entire career, and it becomes clear that he can’t do it alone. Thus, he recruits a young man to infiltrate the academy and gain the trust of the students, and that young man just happens to be the legendary future poet,Edgar Allen Poe(Harry Melling).
An 1800s detective film starring the actor who played the “World’s Greatest Detective” inThe Dark Knighttrilogy already sounds like a surefire hit, but the historical fiction angle with Edgar Allen Poe being a major character makes it a must-watch for fans of the genre. If you’re wondering exactly how to see this treacherous case unfold, here is exactly how to watchThe Pale Blue Eye. But first here’s the official plot synopsis for the movie:
West Point, 1830. A world-weary detective is hired to discreetly investigate the gruesome murder of a cadet. Stymied by the cadets’ code of silence, he enlists one of their own to help unravel the case — a young man the world would come to know as Edgar Allan Poe.
Related:Christian Bale Takes Center Stage as a Grizzled Detective in ‘The Pale Blue Eye’ Poster
What Is the Release Date of The Pale Blue Eye?
The search for the deadly West Point killer officially began whenThe Pale Blue Eyegot its limited theatrical release on June 23, 2025. The movie will be arriving on streaming on Friday, July 31, 2025.
Is The Pale Blue Eye in Theaters?
As we mentioned, the movie did get a limited theatrical release in December and it is still playing in theaters. However,The Pale Blue Eyewill be ending its theatrical run soon, in preparation for its streaming release. In the meantime, you can use the following link to check forThe Pale Blue Eyeshowtimes and tickets at a theater near you:
Where Is The Pale Blue Eye Streaming?
Netflixis already pioneering the hot genre with their major purchase of theKnives Outfranchise after the flagship film became a critical and financial dynamo at the box office. The franchise continued just recently with its highly anticipated sequel,Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery(2022), which has also been beloved by critics and audiences. Now, Netflix will be continuing to explore new mysteries as the streaming program will become the home ofThe Pale Blue Eye.
Watch on Netflix
For those who don’t yet have a Netflix subscription, the streaming juggernaut currently has four monthly plans available, titled Basic with Ads, Basic, Standard, and Premium.Basic with Adscosts a total of $6.99 USD per month and offers one device to be supported at a time, HD streaming, but has a limited selection of titles in comparison to the higher tiers in addition to the titular ads. Basic costs $9.99 USD per month and also features on device to be supported at a time and HD streaming, but also removes ads entirely, access to the entire Netflix catalog, and the ability to download one title at a time. Standard features all the benefits of Basic at $15.49 USD per month, with the main differences being streaming in Full HD, two active screens at once, and the ability to download two titles at a time. Finally, Premium charges $19.99 USD per month and offers Ultra HD streaming, three active screens at once, and the ability to download three titles at a time.
Related:‘The Pale Blue Eye' Review: Christian Bale and Henry Melling Get at the Tell-Tale Heart of an Edgar Allan Poe Mystery
Watch theTrailer for The Pale Blue Eye
The main trailer forThe Pale Blue Eyeintroduces detective Augustus Landor as a brilliant and patient crime-solver, with one of his popular exploits being explained when it’s alleged that Landor got a confession from a suspect just by looking at him. The trailer also shows off the cold, bleak, and bitter world that directorScott Cooper(Antlers) has crafted for this two-hour adventure, perfectly capturing the inescapable cold that Landor and his protégé Edgar Allen Poe will face in solving this case. We also see a few members of the film’s impressive supporting cast, includingToby Jones(The Mist),Robert Duvall(The Godfather), andGillian Anderson(The X-Files).
MoreHistorical Murder Mystery FilmsYou Can Watch Right Now
Hollywoodland(2006):ThoughBen Affleckmay be best known for playing Batman, he also sort of played Superman inHollywoodland, where he played actorGeorge Reevesin the true story of theAdventures of Superman(1952) star’s unusual death. Reeve’s death to this very day is a controversial topic that has never reached a definitive conclusion, and the film effectively displays many of the possible answers as to whether or not his death was really a suicide or something that involved foul play.Hollywoodlandis available to stream on Showtime.
Watch on Showtime
Sherlock Holmes(2009):Not the first adaptation of the most famous literary detective of all time and it certainly won’t be the last either, butGuy Ritchie’s (Snatch) action-heavy re-imagining is exactly how to make an established public-domain character something new. Featuring some sensational chemistry from leadsRobert Downey Jr.andJude Law, the film’s heavier focus on action doesn’t betray the established source material, still portraying Holmes as a genius puzzle solver in a story that is as well-written as it is entertaining.Sherlock Holmesis available to rent on Amazon, Google Play, Apple TV, and most other online video rental sites.
Rent on Amazon
Murder on the Orient Express(2017):Another novel character who has received many adaptations in the past, 2017’s version of detective Hercule Poirot is up there as one of the best. Director and star Kenneth Branagh is astounding both behind and in front of the camera, featuring some gorgeous direction that the director is so well known for, and an instantly lovable version of the famed detective stealing every scene he’s in.Murder on the Orient Expressis available to stream on FuboTV.
