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Mystery-thriller movies featuring clever serial killers and a committed team of detectives searching day and night for clues and using every improbable tactic to arrest the culprit have always been famous. Such movies and TV shows have garnered attention and appreciation from fans and critics for their vivid portrayal of the world of crime. The success of films like Shutter Island (2010), Gone Girl (2014), and Zodiac (2007), has increased the popularity of such thrillers among film aficionados in the last decade. During the past months of 2022, fans saw many compelling releases in the thriller genre like Emily the Criminal, The Gray Man, and Ambulance. The mystery thriller film Mindcage, directed by Mauro Borrelli, is one of the final contenders to fight with the finest movies of 2022.

Releasing soon this December, fans anticipate the film, especially because of the popular names involved with it. The universe of Mindcage is one of crime, investigation, and an infamous game of cat and mouse. After helming the science fiction horror movie The Recall in 2017, Mauro Borrelli is transitioning to the thriller genre with this film. He has centered this latest picture around a copycat killer and a serial killer helping a team of detectives in their mission. Here's everything you need to know about the movie.

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Image via Lionsgate

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When and Where Is Mindcage Releasing?

Mindcage is currently in the post-production stage and the movie is set to receive a limited release on December 16, 2022. Mindcage will be theatrically released only in select movie theaters across major markets. However, the film will also be available through VOD. The eagerly anticipated Avatar: The Way of Water will also be released on the same day so the film has some stiff competition to contend with.

Is There a Trailer For Mindcage?

Mindcage was filmed in Springdale, Arkansas, and Fayetteville last summer, wrapping up in August 2021. Fans got their first look at some details and images from the film earlier this month. The official trailer for the movie was released on November 7, 2022, and can be viewed in the player above. The film's trailer makes a suggestion about the investigators' reluctant collaboration with the convicted serial killer in order to stop the copycat killer from adding to his frightening body count. As they become entangled in the webs of both the copycat and the original killer, the case gradually becomes extremely personal for the two investigators. The trailer starts off on a sinister note when a priest discovers an odd angel statue in his church that also happens to be a creation of a serial killer. When Jake Doyle first sees the angel, a case from his past involving The Artist, a skilled but unstable murderer who used his victims as his exhibitions, keeps running through his mind.

Who Is Making Mindcage?

The script for Mindcage is written by Reggie Keyohara III and the film is directed by Mauro Borrelli. The most recent movies the two have written together are War Hunt starring Mickey Rourke and The Recall with Wesley Snipes in 2017. The producers are Mitchell Welch, Daniel Grodnik, and Cassandra Gava. Leonardo De Bernardini provided the music in the film. The production companies involved with the film are Boomtown Media Partners, BondIt Media Capital, Buffalo 8 Productions, and Daniel Grodnik Productions. The film is distributed by Lionsgate.

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What Is the Plot of Mindcage?

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Image via Lionsgate

The official synopsis for the film by Lionsgate reads:

In this spellbinding thriller, detectives Jake Doyle (Martin Lawrence) and Mary Kelly (Melissa Roxburgh) seek the help of an incarcerated serial killer named The Artist (John Malkovich) when a copycat killer strikes. While Mary searches for clues in The Artist’s brilliant but twisted psyche, she and Jake are lured into a diabolical game of cat and mouse, racing against time to stay one step ahead of The Artist and his copycat.

Mindcage centers around two detectives and their interviews with a serial killer, who all collaborate to catch a copycat serial killer. The main protagonists are Detectives Jake Doyle and Mary Kelly, who seek help from an incarcerated serial killer called the Artist. Mary and Jake are drawn into a sinister game of cat and mouse as Mary probes the Artist's dark psyche. However, the plot is more twisted as it is revealed that the case is more personal to Jake than he originally let on, as the Artist also killed his previous partner. The film promises to be full of twists at every turn as the killer always seems a step ahead of the detectives. The protagonists are constantly trapped in a web of cunning schemes by the killer. The film's premise is similar to the iconic film, Silence of the Lambs. However, it looks like the two can be differentiated as the story progresses.

Who's In the Cast of Mindcage?

There are three main characters in the film: the detectives Jake Doyle and Mary Kelly, and the incarcerated serial killer, the Artist. Along with them, Jacob Grodnik plays the role of Dutch, Aiden Turner as Dale, and Jeremy Turner as The Copycat killer. Martin Lawrence plays the role of Jake Doyle. After becoming well-known in the 1990s, Lawrence has had a successful acting career in Hollywood. He made his television debut in the comedy What's Happening Now!! (1987–1988) as Maurice Warfield, but his breakout performance came as Cee in Do the Right Thing. He is also known for his iconic sitcom Martin and for his performances as Detective Marcus Burnett in the Bad Boys film series.

Melissa Roxburgh will be seen alongside Lawrence as detective Mary Kelly. Known for her roles in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies, Roxburgh has proved herself to be a versatile actress with both comedy and drama projects to her name. Roxburgh portrays Michaela Stone in the NBC series Manifest, which premiered in 2018. Her other work in films has included Big Time Movie (2012), Jeni in Leprechaun: Origins (2014), and Ensign Syl in Star Trek Beyond (2016).

John Malkovich is an iconic veteran actor portraying the part of the Artist, a serial killer. He has won a Primetime Emmy Award and has been nominated for two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, a British Academy Film Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Malkovich has more than 70 film credits to his name, with a well-respected filmography in both cinema and television. He recently starred in the series The New Pope, and is perhaps best known for his roles in the films Dangerous Liaisons and Being John Malkovich. As a critically acclaimed actor, Malkovich is a perfect choice for this role, which seems to be quite layered and complex.