Netflix’s Unabomber: The true story of Ted Kaczynski and how he was caught
Netflix are set to release a drama film about Ted Kaczynski on 25 September, the domestic terrorist known as the 'Unabomber' whose primitivist manifesto led him to carry out multiple bombings over a near 20 year period.
Kaczynski is played by former child star Jacob Tremblay in the Netflix film, chronicling his descent from math prodigy to a terrorist whose mall-bomb devices killed three people and injured 23 others, according to Netflix. Joined in the cast by Russell Crowe and Shailene Woodley, Tremblay has spoken about how appearing in Oscar-winning film Room at nine years old gave him an interesting insight into Kaczynski, who went to Harvard at 16.
Speaking to Extra TV he said he could relate to being the 'youngest in the room', adding: "I was surrounded by amazing people my entire career, but Ted, on the other hand, obviously, he’s on the flip side of that.
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"He’s made to trust these people, who he thinks he can really trust, but they’re really just taking advantage of him... I don’t think I could be any more different than this character."
Whilst the film purports to be an accurate depiction of Kaczynski's life inspired by real events, it is still a film, and many of the details are dramatised and characters fictionalised, so many true crime fans will want to go into the movie knowing the true story of the Unabomber.
What is Unabomber on Netflix about?
Most people will be aware of the Unabomber's militant anti-technology beliefs and crimes, but few will know the story of the man behind the headlines.
In Netflix's 1 hour and 40 minute adaptation of the story, Unabomber begins with a young Kaczynski (played by Jacob Tremblay), a promising mathematics student at Harvard in the 1950s.
The narrative then moves between two separate periods: Kaczynski's life at Harvard and the FBI hunt for the man behind numerous bombings between 1978 and 1995.
The film has been directed by Janus Metz and written by Sam Chalsen and Nelson Greaves.
When is Unabomber released on Netflix?
Unabomber will be available to stream on Netflix on Friday, 25 September 2026.
Who is in the Unabomber cast?
- Jacob Tremblay is Ted Kaczynski: The Harvard prodigy who later became known as the Unabomber.
- Russell Crowe is Henry Murray: The Harvard psychologist who oversaw controversial experiments involving Kaczynski.
- Shailene Woodley is Joanne Miller: An FBI agent leading the film’s pursuit of Kaczynski.
- Annabelle Wallis is Christiana Morgan: Murray’s academic partner and co-director of the Harvard Psychological Clinic.
- Steven Ogg - FBI head
Alexander Ludwig and Marc Menchaca have also been cast in the series in undisclosed roles, which we'll update once we get more information.
Is Netflix's Unabomber based on a true story?
While the case of the Unabomber is indeed real, the Netflix adaptation is described as being 'inspired by true events', meaning that some aspects of the story are likely to have been dramatised rather than staying true to the real-life story.
Events covered in the series include Kaczynski's impressive academic career, his acceptance to Harvard University at the age of 16 to study mathematics, which led to him obtaining a PhD in the field, as well as his teaching years at the University of California, Berkeley.
The documentary also follows the spree of crimes commited by Kaczynski, sending 16 highly sophisticated bombs between 1978 and 1995, and later retreating to a secluded cabin in Lincoln, Montana.
Why was Ted Kaczynski called the Unabomber?
Kaczynski's infamous nickname is derived from his FBI case name.
The mathematics professor chose to target universities and airline facilities as the primary targets for his homemade bombs, leading to his code name being 'UNABOM', which stands for UNiversity and Airline BOMbing.
This name was subsequently adopted by the press and later transformed into Unabomber.
Who were the Unabomber’s victims?
Kaczynski's bombs were responsible for killing three people and injuring 23 more; the three fatalities were later identified as:
- Hugh Scrutton - a California-based computer rental store owner who was killed by a bomb left in the carpark near his shop in December 1985.
- Thomas Mosser - an advertising executive in New Jersey who was killed by a mail bomb in December 1994.
- Gilbert Brent Murray - A timber lobbyist from California who was killed by a mail bomb in April 1995.
Notable victims who were targeted but ultimately survived Kaczynski's bombs were geneticist Charles Epstein, Yale computer science professor David Gelernter and graduate student John Hauser.
What happened to Ted Kaczynski at Harvard?
During Kaczynski's time at Harvard he participated in a series of psychological studies, including an ethically grey experiment run by Henry Murray.
Murray's experiment, which Kaczynski later claimed that he was 'pressured into participating' in, involved asking a series of students to fill in questionnaires on their personal beliefs, according to a report from The Washington Post.
The participants were then challenged over their beliefs while being hooked up to electrodes and having blinding lights flashed in their eyes. It's believed that the interrogators also subjected the participants to verbal abuse during the experiment, which they were later asked to watch back.
Murray had claimed the experiments were to test how subjects responded to extreme stress, however this has since been discredited as unethical.
Did the Harvard experiments turn Kaczynski into the Unabomber?
While several biographers and commentators have argued that Kaczynski's experience at Harvard may have led to the violent crimes committed later in life, there has been no reliable link between the experiments he underwent and his crimes.
Responding to reports that Kaczynski's involvement in the experiment led to his later crimes, psychologist Nigel Barber told History: "The Harvard experiment was stressful and stress aggravates the symptoms of schizophrenia.
"Otherwise, it would be a mistake to exaggerate the importance of this experience, or to see it as a major determinant of his anti-science and anti-technology political views."
How was the Unabomber caught?
In 1995, Kaczynski contacted The New York Times and The Washington Post with his manifesto, promising to stop sending out bombs in exchange for the publication of his manifesto.
A copy of the manifesto was then sent to the FBI, which ultimately decided to publish it in order to 'buy time' in their investigation. However, the decision to share the lengthy manifesto, which outlined Kaczynski's disdain for modern technology and industrial advancements, would be his undoing.
The manifesto would reach the attention of Kaczynski's brother David, who recognised his sibling's handwriting and phrases. He also provided evidence which linked Kaczynski to Salt Lake City and California at the time, when bombs detonated in the area.
With overwhelming evidence to support his claim, David worked with the FBI to locate Kaczynski in a remote cabin in Montana, arresting him on 3 April 1996.
What happened to Ted Kaczynski?
Inside the cabin investigators found 40,000 handwritten journal pages which included bomb-making experiments and descriptions of his crimes, as well as one live bomb. He pleaded guilty to 10 counts of transportation, mailing, and use of bombs, as well as three counts of first-degree murder, in order to avoid the death penalty.
The evidence was enough to sentence Kaczynski to four consecutive life sentences plus 30 years in federal prison without the possibility of parole.
In 2021, Kaczynski was diagnosed with rectal cancer and began chemotherapy. He stopped treatment two years later due to unpleasant side effects and poor progress.
Kaczynski died by suicide in June 2023.
Topics: Crime, History, Netflix, True Crime
Brenna Cooper