First look images of David Fincher’s Netflix biopic on Citizen Kane screenwriter released

David Fincher returns to filmmaking since the release of his last directorial Gone Girl with Mank, a biographical drama on Citizen Kane screenwriter Herman J Mankiewicz, who wielded immense influence over the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Mank is Fincher’s new collaboration with Netflix after House of Cards, Mindhunter and the animated anthology Love, Death & Robots.

The first look images from the film, written by Jack Fincher, were shared on the 79th anniversary of Citizen Kane’s theatrical release, reports IndieWire . Gary Oldman plays Mankiewicz and in the first image he can seen walking away from a set as Amanda Seyfried’s Marion Davies looks on.

Variety writes the film will follow Mankiewicz as he finishes the script of Citizen Kane for director Orson Welles.

Here are the stills

𝙹𝙾𝙴 (𝚅.𝙾.)
𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚛𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚘’𝚜 𝙶𝚘𝚕𝚍𝚎𝚗 𝙱𝚘𝚢 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚐𝚘 𝚝𝚘𝚎-𝚝𝚘-𝚝𝚘𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚆𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚎 𝙷𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚜𝚝, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞’𝚛𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚔𝚒𝚝𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚗. pic.twitter.com/EOvUon3bUJ

— Netflix Tudum (@NetflixTudum) September 5, 2020

The outlet further writes that Fincher shot the film at Kemper Campbell Ranch in Victorville, California, the same location where Mankiewicz worked on the iconic film’s screenplay. Known for his drinking habit, his stay at the ranch was helpful in channeling his focus on the screenplay.

The cast also includes Lily Collins (as Rita Alexander), Tom Burkes (as Welles), Tuppence Middleton, and Charles Dance.

Mankiewicz got his start as a reporter and critic in the early 1920s before being recruited by Paramount to work in the Hollywood studio system. He was involved in a number of iconic features such as The Wizard of Oz (1939), The Pride of the Yankees (1942) and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953). But it was 1941’s Citizen Kane that made him truly famous, in part due to scandal: while he co-wrote the script with Welles, Mankiewicz accused the director of trying to cut him out of the credits, going as far as offering to buy him out.