The real-life inspiration behind Netflix's The Stranger (2024)
Ian Sandwell
·3-min read
The Stranger is yet another true-crime hit for Netflix, but this time around, it's a fictionalised telling of a tragic real-life murder.
The new movie, not to be confused with the Netflix series of the same name, might not be top of the most-watched movies list (that honour belongs to The School for Good and Evil), but it will have had viewers delving into the inspiration behind the tense thriller.
It follows a group of seasoned undercover cops who pose as an influential criminal network in order to catch a murderer who has evaded conviction for eight years. While the names have been changed, this did actually happen in real life.
The Stranger is based on a tragic true crime case involving the murder of 13-year-old schoolboy Daniel Morcombe, and the decision to use the case as inspiration for the movie has caused controversy.
To explain why, we'll need to go into some spoilers for the movie, so look away now if you haven't seen The Stranger yet.
The Stranger true story
The Stranger is based on Kate Kyriacou's book The Sting: The Undercover Operation That Caught Daniel Morcombe's Killer, but as mentioned above, the names have been changed so it's a fictionalised telling of the story.
In December 2003, Daniel Morcombe was abducted on Queensland's Sunshine Coast when he was on the way to a shopping centre. He was murdered by Brett Peter Cowan who was finally caught in August 2011 and found guilty of the murder following a trial in 2014.
The police operation saw Cowan lured in by the fake crime gang run by a 'Mr Big' with the promise of a big payout. While we see this play out in the movie, we don't get any scenes of the abduction and murder of the child.
It's still been the cause of controversy though as Daniel Morcombe's parents called the release of the movie, which came out in cinemas in Australia, "morally corrupt and cruel".
Bruce Morcombe revealed that they had been contacted by the filmmakers about making a movie centred on Daniel's killer. "We absolutely said 'no we don't want any part of that'. Daniel's legacy is all about educating kids," he said (via news.com.au).
His wife Denise added that the movie is "not supported by the Morcombe family".
In response, the producers of The Stranger called it a "fictionalised account" and said that "out of our deepest respect for the family", the movie avoided any details of the murder and the victim's name.
"Instead it tells the story of the unknown police professionals who committed years of their lives and their mental and physical health to resolve this case and others like it," the statement continued.
"When the film was first in development, the producers approached the family to make them aware of the film. They declined to be involved. It is a decision we continue to respect."
Talking to The Guardian, director Thomas M Wright said that after reading the book on which it's based, he didn't think he'd take the job on. "But the more I sat with it, and the more I read it, it began to reveal itself as a film not about violence at all," he added.
"Clearly, the reason for the film is an unnameable act of violence… that embodies the worst of what human animals are capable of. But that is not the subject of the film."
The Stranger is available to watch now on Netflix.
30 and, in case you're wondering, no, it's not a true crime story. The Stranger is based on the 2015 bestselling novel of the same name, written by Harlan Coben
Harlan Coben
Harlan Coben (born c. 1962) is an American writer of mystery novels and thrillers. The plots of his novels often involve the resurfacing of unresolved or misinterpreted events in the past, murders, or fatal accidents and have multiple twists. Twelve of his novels have been adapted for film and television.
While the names have been changed, this did actually happen in real life. The Stranger is based on a tragic true crime case involving the murder of 13-year-old schoolboy Daniel Morcombe, and the decision to use the case as inspiration for the movie has caused controversy.
The Stranger is a fictionalized account of the massive real-life manhunt for the killer of 13-year-old Daniel Morcombe, who was abducted on Queensland's Sunshine Coast in 2003 while on his way to buy Christmas presents for his family at a local shopping mall. He was later murdered.
For starters, the name of Brett Peter Cowan's name has been changed in the film to Henry Teague, though it is later revealed in the film his original name was Peter Morley, possibly a nod to Brett Cowan's middle name.
An undercover cop forms an intense connection with a murder suspect while trying to earn his trust and elicit a confession. Watch all you want. Joel Edgerton (“Animal Kingdom”) and Sean Harris (“The King”) star in this drama from writer-director Thomas M.
The Strangers is based on a true event from writer and director Bryan Bertino's childhood, adding a layer of real-life terror to the film. Bryan Bertino focused on creating a deeply unsettling story from the victims' perspective, inspired by the Manson murders.
No, Stranger Things isn't based on a true story. The show tells a fictional tale – written by the Duffer Brothers – about fictional characters, . On the show, Eleven's mother is actually one of the MKUltra test subjects and while she was pregnant, Brenner used LSD and sensory deprivation .
Camus published The Stranger at a time when Algerians were demanding political autonomy with increased forcefulness; although France did extend some rights during the 1940s, ongoing conflicts and failed French promises of more independence culminated in the outbreak of the Algerian War in 1954.
The phrase “Aujourd'hui, maman est morte” helps us to gain a deeper insight into what Meursault is like. Anyone who has read The Stranger knows just how much this character dwells in the present. For him, everything is present, everything is now. Everything is aujourd'hui, the first word of the novel.
What is the message in the stranger? Camus wrote The Stranger to explain the philosophy of Absurdism, which claims that there is no inherent meaning in life, and that individuals must find their own ways to confront the indifference and meaninglessness of life.
Ultimately, Henry admits his crimes, unveiling his identity as Peter Morely, a man accused of killing seven-year-old James Lister. Henry tells both Mark and the gang that he did kidnap a young boy eight years ago and killed him shortly afterward.
Netflix's latest crime thriller, The Stranger, is set for release on Jan. 30 and, in case you're wondering, no, it's not a true crime story. The Stranger is based on the 2015 bestselling novel of the same name, written by Harlan Coben.
It was from Thomas that Katz learned that everything he has been doing of late has been for naught. Olivia was not sick. After Katz left his wife, she started poisoning their daughter. It was a condition called Munchausen by proxy.
To Sud, this ending is all about comeuppance. “It's very hard to kill a person in their face,” Sud said. “He was right about that; very few of us can do it. But she was gonna get rid of him. She's gonna teach you this lesson and get him off the face of the Earth with her trusty dog.”
And so Henry reveals that he was responsible for kidnapping and murdering the child, before leading Mark and his colleague John to the scene of the crime in order to remove any remaining evidence.
Dante, who was found naked after the rave and was in a coma all season long, simply fell in the woods after Daisy left him. That's it. Even though he took creepy videos of her, he had nothing to do with Corinne's disappearance.
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