“The Mystery of D.B. Cooper” resurrects one of the most bizarre unsolved mysteries in our history. In 1971, a man identified as D.B. Cooper hijacked a 727 plane out of Portland and traded the lives of the passengers on board for $200,000. He parachuted out of the plane when it was flying over the state of Washington and was never heard from again. To this day, no one is sure of the identity of that man. The case has baffled the FBI for nearly 50 years, which in turn has inspired wild speculation. The D.B. Cooper case remains the only unsolved airplane hijacking in United States history.
The new documentary takes a different approach. “The Mystery of D.B. Cooper” is packed with interviews of people who believe they knew the real D.B. Cooper, from a woman who believed her husband was the perpetrator to one who believes it was her uncle. The film also pulls archival and recreated footage, along with examples of how Cooper’s legendary crimes caused the rise of copycats across the country.
The documentary was written and produced by John Dower (“Thrilla in Manila“). Peter Caulfield (“Absentia“) and Hannah Pauley (her first acting credit) will appear in the film.
Take a look at the official summary for “The Mystery of D.B. Cooper” below:
Drawing from a combination of recreated and archival footage, as well as exclusive interviews with those most connected to the infamous case and its likeliest culprits, this edge-of-your-seat documentary also explores how the heist inspired copycat hijackings and elevated Cooper to “legend” status. THE MYSTERY OF D.B. COOPER paints a dynamic portrait of a fabled fugitive whose unparalleled story became folklore.
The Mystery of D.B. Cooper drops on HBO and HBO Max on November 25. Take a look at the new trailer below.