Entertainment

True Crime Fans Will Be Haunted By Netflix’s Eerie ‘Disappearance Of Madeleine McCann’ Trailer

Netflix just released the trailer for The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann and the details offered in this true crime docuseries are extremely harrowing to say the least. The sneak peek, which was released on Thursday, March 14, just one day before the show hits Netflix, takes a look at several investigators and others with close knowledge of the 2007 case, in which a 3-year-old British girl, Madelein McCann went missing from her parent's vacation villa in Praia da Luz, Portugal.

Esquire noted that the series will consist of eight hourlong episodes that will take "a detailed look" into the case of Madeleine McCann's shocking vanishing in May 2007, sharing new revelations about one of the most famous unsolved missing person cases of the last decade.

With no one charged in the years since McCann disappeared, the case has remained a mystery to many who have followed the details in the media. While there are many shocking details that seem to unfold throughout, the trailer offers hints at many possible scenarios pertaining to McCann's whereabouts including revelations of local sexual predators, human trafficking, and collusion.

Sharing a synopsis of the doc, per Refinery29, a spokesperson for Netflix, shared:

"By blending new interviews with more than 40 contributors, 120 hours of interviews, archival news footage and reenactments, The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann goes beyond the headlines and takes a unique look at the facts of the case as well as its impact on media standards around the world."

Now 12 years after her disappearance, McCann, who would now be a teenager, remains a missing person. Following her disappearance, the case made international headlines, sparking years of investigation, but all of the work by authorities has, thus far, had no resolve.

In addition to the authorities associated with the case, the doc will also feature an interview from Robert Murat, the Portuguese-British man who was once declared a suspect in McCann's disappearance. Murat was later cleared in 2008 due to lack of evidence in 2008, per Refinery29, receiving £600,000 (approx. $780,000) in damages from British newspapers who alleged that he was involved in the case, according to the Telegraph.

Madeleine's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann reportedly refused to participate in the documentary, citing feelings that the documentary could potentially jeopardize the ongoing case. Speaking with The Guardian, the family’s former spokesman, Clarence Mitchell, explained, "Kate and Gerry and their wider family and friends were approached some months ago to participate in the documentary." Confirming that they wanted nothing to do with it, he added, "Kate and Gerry didn’t ask for it and don’t see how it will help the search for Maddie on a practical level, so they chose not to engage." In the early stages of investigation, Portuguese police had given the McCann's "arguido" or suspect status, according to the New York Post. However, the outlet also noted that the claims were later dropped due to lack of evidence.

The McCanns weren't the only ones who chose not to participate in the documentary. According to Refinery29, the series had been delayed repeatedly after key figures associated with the case refused to be involved.

Despite the surrounding controversy, the documentary will, if nothing else, keep the conversation about McCann's disappearance going. And, who knows, this newfound spotlight on the story could help send authorities down the path to solving the case once and for all.