After a huge 2021, Andrew Garfield looks to continue his hot streak with the first teaser for “Under the Banner of Heaven,” a new true crime miniseries premiering this spring on FX on Hulu.
Based off of the 2003 nonfiction book from Jon Krakauer, “Under the Banner of Heaven” focuses on a double murder committed by Ron and Dan Lafferty, two Mormon brothers who killed their sister-in-law Brenda and niece Erica in 1984. The brothers were former members of the School of Prophets, a small fundamentalist Mormon group, and Ron claimed he received visions from God ordering him to commit the murders.
The miniseries adaptation of the book will focus on Pyre (Garfield), the police detective assigned to investigate the Lafferty case. As he untangles the mystery and finds evidence linking the church to the crime, Pyre, a devout Mormon himself, undergoes an ugly crisis of faith. The trailer sees the detective examining the crime scene, juxtaposed with scenes of a baptism and life in small-town Utah.
“The evidence points to things and beliefs that I’ve only ever heard whisperings about,” Garfield narrates in the teaser. “I wonder how something so horrific could have come to pass.”
This marks the first lead television role for Garfield, who has until now focused on film and theater. Garfield is a current Oscar nominee for his lead performance in the Netflix musical “Tick, Tick…Boom!” and recently reprised his role as Peter Parker in the smash-hit superhero film “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” Daisy Edgar-Jones plays Brenda Lafferty, while Ron and Dan Lafferty are portrayed by Sam Worthington and Wyatt Russell. Denise Gough, Billy Howle, Allen Lafferty, Gil Birmingham, Adelaide Clemens, Rory Culkin, Seth Numrich, Chloe Pirrie, Sandra Seacat and Christopher Heyerdahl round out the cast.
“Under the Banner of Heaven” was initially intended to be adapted into a feature film in 2011, with Dustin Lance Black attached to write and Ron Howard slated as director. Black remains the writer of the series, which is directed by David Mackenzie and Isabel Sandoval. Mackenzie and Black executive produce along with Howard, Jason Bateman, Gillian Berrie, Michael Costigan, Anna Culp, Samie Kim Falvey and Brian Grazer.
“Under the Banner of Heaven” will premiere in 2022. Watch the full trailer below.