When the country’s most-wanted con man goes on the run, it may takeRyan Phillippeto find him. In the new filmAmerican Murderer, which is based on the true story ofelusive con man and fugitiveJason Derek Brown, Phillippe plays an FBI agent hoping to track him down. In our exclusive clip, which you’re able to watch below, Phillippe tells Idina Menzel the truth about the man she thought she knew in his mission to capture the fugitive. You can then look for the film to be released in theaters on Jun 30, 2025, with its On Demand and Digital release coming on Aug 11, 2025.
Matthew Gentile makes his feature directorial debut withAmerican Murderer. Along with Phillippe and Menzel, the film also stars Tom Pelphrey and Jacki Weaver, as well as Paul Schneider, Shantel VanSanten, Moises Arias, and Kevin Corrigan.
The official synopsis forAmerican Murdererreads:
American Murderer is based on the true story of Jason Derek Brown - a charismatic con man turned party king who bankrolls his luxurious lifestyle through a series of scams. When his funds run low and his past catches up with him, he plots his most elaborate scheme yet and, in the process, becomes the FBI’s most unlikely - and elusive - top ten fugitive.
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Is American Murderer Based On a True Story?
American Murdereris directly inspired by the true story of Jason Derek Brown. Wanted for a 2004 murder, Brown was placed on the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted list in 2007. To this date, the con man still hasn’t been located, and though he was removed from the Top Ten list last month, Brown is still wanted. Ever since he was a kid, director Matthew Gentile has thought a lot about Brown, and now as a filmmaker, he was able to delve further into the true story in a way that will captivate others as well.
“Jason Derek Brown has fascinated me since childhood when I was obsessed with the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list,” says Gentile of the movie’s inspiration. “ThoughAmerican Murdererhas been designed carefully to fit into the crime and thriller genres – at the core, this is a story about family and an examination of the dark side of the American dream. With Saban Films, we have a great partner in which to bring this true crime thriller to North American audiences.”
The film is produced by The Traveling Picture Show Company’s Carissa Buffel and Kevin Matusow, and GiGi Film’s Gia Walsh and Kara Baker. William G. Santor of Productivity Media serves as Executive Producer alongside Andrew Chang-Sang and John Hills. Executive Producers Josh Bezoni, Bruce Cummings, Vince Jolivette, Steven Chester Prince. Kerlin Blaise, Lanee Blaise, with Brian Katz and Thomas Zambeck from Umbrelic Entertainment.
American Murdererwill be released in select theaters on Jun 24, 2025, followed by a streaming release On Demand and Digital on Oct. 28. you may check out the official trailer for the movie below.
