Memory of a Killer Trailer Breakdown: First look of Patrick Dempsey as a Hitman in the upcoming crime thriller series

In January 2026, Patrick Dempsey will make his return to broadcast television with the Fox thriller Memory of a Killer. The series is based on the 2003 Belgian film De Zaak Alzheimer and is from creators Ed Whitmore and Tracey Malone. They are executive producing along with Cathy Schulman, Arthur Sarkissian, Martin Campbell and Peter Bouckaert. Warner Bros. Television and Fox Entertainment handle production.

Dempsey leads as Angelo Ledda, a top hitman hiding early-onset Alzheimer's while juggling a double life: killer in NYC and family man in upstate New York. Michael Imperioli plays Dutch, Angelo's old friend and boss, who runs a Bronx restaurant as a crime front. Richard Harmon is Joe, a young hitman spotting Angelo's decline. Odeya Rush portrays Maria, Angelo's pregnant daughter, drawn into his world.

Daniel David Stewart stars as Jeff, Maria's inventor husband. Peter Gadiot is Dave, a detective and secret admirer of Maria. Gina Torres recurs as FBI Agent Linda Grant, hunting Angelo's secrets.

The first trailer, which dropped this October, teases Angelo's unravelling worlds with tense action and emotional beats. It sets up a story of memory loss, family danger, and redemption in the shadows of crime.

Patrick Dempsey in the trailer for Memory of a Killer

The trailer begins with a scene of Dempsey's Angelo aiming a sniper rifle- his unbroken gaze penetrating the rain slicked streets of NYC.  Then there is rapid cutting to him hitting a target with a baseball bat in a poorly lit alley, which emphasizes the deadliness of his precision.

The promo's score swells with The Who's "Behind Blue Eyes," mirroring Angelo's isolated blue stare. It ends on a car chase through upstate woods, Angelo racing to protect Maria from an unseen threat. 

Dempsey hasn't led a broadcast series since Grey's Anatomy. His McDreamy charm made him a star, but roles in Disenchanted and Ferrari showed range. Here he channels quiet menace: Angelo's not a yelling brute but a calculated pro whose mind betrays him. Early Alzheimer's adds vulnerability—Dempsey researched with experts, drawing from real stories of sudden memory blackouts.

The double life fits Dempsey's arc. Off-screen, he's a racer and family guy, much like Angelo's compartmentalized worlds. Producers picked him for that duality: the smile that disarms, eyes that pierce. In the trailer, his physicality shines—lean frame in tailored suits for hits, casual sweaters for home. It's a redemptive turn: Angelo gains conscience as memories fade, fighting to shield his pregnant daughter from his bloody past.

Fox's Michael Thorn called it a "visceral script with emotional charge" during a press call, echoing 24's ticks and House's diagnostics. Dempsey's Angelo tests if a fading killer can outsmart his own brain—and the enemies closing in.

Memory of a Killer premieres on Fox in January 2026. 

Stay tuned for more such updates!