Before she killed, she served justice—until the system broke her.
The Mantis: Original Sin (2025) is a chilling origin story that dives into the making of a killer—long before she became legend. Set in the same twisted universe as the acclaimed La Mante series, this psychological crime thriller rewinds the clock to reveal the disturbing path that transformed a brilliant woman into France’s most feared serial murderer. Equal parts intense character study and gripping procedural, this prequel pulls no punches.
Decades before she would be known as “The Mantis,” Jeanne Delambre (portrayed by Léa Seydoux in a mesmerizing performance) is a forensic prodigy working with the Paris police. Gifted in profiling and dangerously intuitive, Jeanne uncovers what others miss. But as she’s drawn into a case involving a series of ritualistic murders echoing her own dark childhood, the line between investigator and predator begins to blur.
Haunted by trauma, manipulated by a hidden mastermind, and slowly losing faith in the justice system, Jeanne begins to believe that sometimes evil must be answered with evil. As secrets unravel and blood is spilled, her transformation becomes inevitable—and terrifying.
Directed by Alexandre Aja, Original Sin uses stark cinematography and eerie silence to create suffocating tension. It's less about jump scares and more about psychological corrosion. The film digs deep into themes of identity, justice, and the horrifying cost of becoming what you hunt.
By the time the final scene fades, The Mantis: Original Sin doesn’t just explain the killer—it dares you to sympathize with her.
