WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Ripley.

Summary

• John Malkovich makes an appearance in Ripley and has starred in a previous Ripley adaptation.
• Andrew Scott's portrayal of Tom Ripley in Netflix's series is the most disturbing yet, true to the book.
• Ripley has received rave reviews, achieving an impressive 86% on Rotten Tomatoes.

John Malkovich's guest appearance in Ripley marks his second role in a Ripley adaptation. Malkovich is one of several outstanding actors in Ripley's cast, which is led by an exceptionally chilling Andrew Scott (All of Us Strangers) as well as Johnny Flynn, Dakota Fanning, and Eliot Sumner. Ripley has received rave reviews from critics upon its April 4, 2024 release exclusively on Netflix. The series currently has an impressive 86% on Rotten Tomatoes, which slightly bests the 85% score of the 1999 film The Talented Mr. Ripley, which was nominated for 5 Academy Awards. Both are adaptations of the 1955 novel by Patricia Highsmith.

Ripley follows a gritty con artist named Tom Ripley who originally makes ends meet by scamming vulnerable people through a fraudulent collections agency he invented under a false alias known as George McAlpin. When his scheme gets exposed, Tom follows up on an offer to locate a wealthy businessman's son in Italy named Richard 'Dickie' Greenleaf. Funded fully by Mr. Greenleaf based on an exaggerated notion that Tom and Dickie were friends in New York, Tom is sent off to Italy to retrieve Dickie and encourage him to face his responsibilities back home. Once he arrives, Tom falls in love with the lavish lifestyle Dickie enjoys and coldly manipulates him in order to acquire his wealth.

All 8 episodes of Ripley are available to stream exclusively on Netflix.

John Malkovich's Cameo In Netflix's Ripley Show Explained

Malkovich plays an "art dealer" named Reeves Minot

Tom seeks the help of Reeves to get him a new passport out of England under his new alias, Timothy Fenshaw.

John Malkovich does not appear in Netflix's Ripley until the final episode of the season titled "Narcissus". Malkovich plays an American criminal named Reeves Minot living in Venice, much like Tom, who claims to be an "art dealer", which Tom interprets as a sly way of saying a con artist like him. Reeves and Tom instantly recognize each other for what they really are and can easily spot the game that the other is playing, because it's essentially the same one. Reeves is also featured in other Ripley books written by Highsmith.

Not much background information is provided about Malkovich's character in Ripley other than that he is part of the highbrow social scene in Venice, which is how he and Tom meet. The biggest role that Reeves plays in Ripley is assisting Tom in getting out of Venice in the final moments of the limited series. After Tom successfully convinces Mr. Greenleaf, Marge, Inspector Ravini, and an American investigator that Dickie had taken his own life and was involved in the death of Freddie Miles, Tom seeks the help of Reeves to get him a new passport out of England under his new alias, Timothy Fenshaw.

John Malkovich Previously Played Tom Ripley In 2002's Ripley's Game Movie

Malkovich could appear in future seasons of Netflix's Ripley

Ripley's Game, based on the third novel in Highsmith's Ripley book series written in 1974, received a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes despite being considered a box office failure.

Malkovich had already been featured in a previous adaptation of a Ripley book before his appearance in Netflix's Ripley. The celebrated actor played Tom Ripley in the 2002 crime drama Ripley's Game, directed by Liliana Cavani. Ripley's Game, based on the third novel in Highsmith's Ripley book series written in 1974, received a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes despite being considered a box office failure. The film earned just $6.2 million at the box office based on a production budget of $30 million. The story follows Tom and Reeves Minot, played by Ray Winstone, as they orchestrate a series of killings against an Italian mob.

Ripley's Game has previously been adapted to film in the 1977 movie The American Friend directed by acclaimed filmmaker Wim Wenders (Wings of Desire, Paris, Texas). The film starred Dennis Hopper and Bruno Ganz and was considered the most effective adaptation of the two. If Netflix's Ripley were to extend into multiple seasons, then Malovich would hopefully reprise his role as Reeves Minot in potential Ripley season 2 and season 3, which both take place in France. Ripley creator Steven Zallian hinted season 2 is a possibility, but there is no official announcement on it from Netflix.

How Andrew Scott's Tom Ripley Compares To John Malkovich & Matt Damon's Versions

Scott's Tom is by far the most disturbing rendition of the character

Malkovich's version of Tom makes the character multifaceted and cunning but not nearly as monstrous as Scott's version in Ripley.

Andrew Scott's performance as Tom Ripley is certainly the most unsettling version of the character ever put to screen. Zaillian's approach with Ripley was to make it more true to the book than the popular 1999 film, which made many notable changes from Highsmith's original novel. Matt Damon's version of Tom Ripley in The Talented Mr. Ripley is full of youthful energy as well as romantic feelings for Dickie, which is not a key theme in the original novel and the Netflix series. Malkovich's version of Tom makes the character multifaceted and cunning but not nearly as monstrous as Scott's version in Ripley.