Sky Atlantic is set to premiere a provocative new six-part series, The Death of Bunny Munro, on November 20, starring Matt Smith in the title role. Produced by the team behind the critically acclaimed Baby Reindeer, the show promises a dark and compelling narrative.
What is The Death of Bunny Munro About?
The series charts the life of Bunny Munro, a misogynistic middle-aged salesman whose world is upended after his wife takes her own life. In the aftermath, he embarks on a road trip around Sussex with his young son, Bunny Junior, played by Rafael Mathé. Their journey of grief and guilt is set against a chilling backdrop: a serial killer is simultaneously wreaking havoc in the very same area.
Is Bunny Munro Based on a True Story?
Viewers are keen to know if this darkly comic tale is rooted in reality. The original source material was a novel released in 2009 by Nick Cave, the legendary lead vocalist of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. While Cave has clarified that the story is not autobiographical, he admits to significant parallels with his own life.
"I wasn't writing about someone I didn't understand," Cave shared with the BBC. He revealed he felt "extremely connected to Bunny," particularly regarding the "interior masculine monologue" that defines the character. Cave elaborated, "Most men, if they're honest, understand Bunny on some level." However, he was quick to distinguish himself, stating he is "much shyer around women" and has always been "quite terrified of women and their power."
Nick Cave's Personal Encounters with Grief
The themes of grief and loss in the story resonate deeply with Cave's personal experiences. His life has been profoundly marked by tragedy. In 2015, his son Arthur tragically fell from a cliff in Brighton. Then, in 2022, his eldest son, Jethro, passed away at the age of just 30.
Speaking to ABC's Australian Story, Cave confessed how this grief shattered his former self-perception. "For most of my life I was just sort of in awe of my own genius... This just collapsed completely and I just saw the folly of that, the kind of disgraceful self-indulgence of the whole thing," he shared, highlighting the transformative power of profound loss.
The series was first announced in November 2023, with both Matt Smith and Nick Cave serving as executive producers. Described by the BBC as a "darkly comic tale of sex, guilt and grief," The Death of Bunny Munro is poised to be one of the most talked-about releases this autumn.
