James Vanderbilt Reflects on Making Zodiac with David Fincher Two Decades Later: A Dream Experience

James Vanderbilt; David Fincher.
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James Vanderbilt Remembers ‘Zodiac’ While Promoting New Film ‘Nuremberg’

James Vanderbilt recently reflected on his experience making Zodiac nearly two decades ago, while promoting his new film Nuremberg. The filmmaker described working with director David Fincher as a "dream" for a young screenwriter.

"It was really a dream for a young screenwriter to have someone of that level to direct your film," Vanderbilt remarked during a New York City screening of Nuremberg. He added, "And it was also the first film I stayed on all the way through."

Released in 2007, Zodiac was based on two nonfiction books authored by Robert Graysmith, detailing the real-life Zodiac serial killer. The film featured a star-studded cast including Robert Downey Jr., Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Anthony Edwards.

At 50 years old, Vanderbilt penned the script for the high-profile thriller after an active stint in 2003. During his reflections, he recalled Fincher emphasizing their collaborative role: "Look, it’s you and me. We’re the creative nucleus of this, and you’re going to see it all the way through. Getting to sit next to a guy like that and watch him do his thing so well, it just was a dream come true."

Vanderbilt shared that he has encountered Downey and Gyllenhaal this year and praised fellow cast members Ruffalo and Edwards for their exceptional talent.

Prior to Zodiac, David Fincher directed a series of successful films, including Seven (1995), Fight Club (1999), and Panic Room (2002). Vanderbilt noted that his experience working with Fincher continues to influence his own filmmaking. He aspires for Nuremberg to prompt questions among viewers, a principle rooted in Fincher’s filmmaking philosophy.

"I always go back to when I worked with David Fincher, and he said something that always stuck with me: ‘Good movies make you ask questions, bad movies give you all the answers.’ So I hope we’ve made a good movie and I hope it makes people ask questions," Vanderbilt expressed.

Nuremberg, based on the nonfiction book The Nazi and the Psychiatrist by Jack El-Hai, follows U.S. Army psychiatrist Lt. Col. Douglas Kelley as he evaluates the mental state of Hermann Göring and other Nazi officials. The film stars Rami Malek, Russell Crowe, and Michael Shannon, among others.

Robert Downey Jr. (left) and Jake Gyllenhaal in Zodiac (2007).

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James Vanderbilt at the Cinema Society screening of Nuremberg at MoMA in New York City.

David Benthal/BFA.com