Mindhunter might return as a film trilogy, but it's only ‘a chance’ for now, says Holt McCallany

Fans of Mindhunter may have reason to hope again. Although the series has been on indefinite hold since 2019, actor Holt McCallany has revealed that discussions have taken place about reviving the story, not as a third season, but potentially as a trilogy of films on Netflix.

Fincher open to film format revival

Speaking to Comic Book Resources (CBR) in a recent interview, McCallany — who plays FBI agent Bill Tench in the series — said he met with director David Fincher several months ago to discuss the show’s future. According to McCallany, Fincher mentioned a possible return in the form of “three two-hour movies”.

“I had a meeting with David Fincher in his office a few months ago,” McCallany told CBR. “He said to me that there is a chance that it may come back as three two-hour movies. But I think it’s just a chance.”

He also clarified that while discussions have taken place, any move forward would be entirely dependent on Fincher’s approval of the scripts. “Writers are working on ideas,” he added, “but David has to be happy with the scripts.”

Long hiatus after season two

Mindhunter debuted on Netflix in 2017 and quickly gained critical acclaim for its depiction of the FBI’s early efforts in criminal profiling. The second season was released in 2019, but plans for a third were paused indefinitely in 2020 when Fincher confirmed he had moved on to other projects.

At the time, Netflix said the series was on “indefinite hold” and released the lead cast — including McCallany, Jonathan Groff (Holden Ford), and Anna Torv (Dr Wendy Carr) — from their contracts, making a return uncertain.

In 2023, Fincher confirmed in interviews that there were no current plans to revive Mindhunter, citing high production costs and limited viewership compared to other Netflix hits.

Possibility still uncertain

McCallany admitted that the idea of a film revival is far from confirmed. “The sun, the moon, and the stars would all have to align,” he said. Still, the news that conversations are happening — and that Fincher is at least open to the idea — has reignited interest in the series.

Whether Mindhunter returns as a limited film event or remains a cult classic with two seasons, the possibility of continuing the story of Tench, Ford and Carr has brought new optimism to its dedicated fanbase. As of now, Netflix has not commented publicly on the reports.