Watch the exclusive trailer for Elle and Dakota Fanning's true crime doc “Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer”

"She was underestimated but still persisted until she changed the entire landscape," the sisters say of the subject at the center of Hulu's "Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer."

It’s high time for Ann Burgess’ close-up.

Burgess’ story is at the center of Hulu’s Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer, a three-episode true crime docuseries that shifts the focus from serial killers to the woman who revolutionized serial killer profiling. From director Abby Fuller and executive producers Elle and Dakota Fanning, Mastermind shines a long-overdue light on Burgess’ revolutionary work with the FBI assessing and treating victims of sexual assault and trauma during the 1970s and ‘80s.

The first trailer, which EW can exclusively share below, previews Burgess’ recruitment by the FBI (largely a boys club then) and the obstacles the she faced at a time when sexual violence against women wasn’t taken seriously. The series traces the formation of the agency’s Behavioral Science Unit, chronicling Burgess’ days working on active investigations involving some of the most notorious serial killers (Ed Kemper, Ted Bundy, and “Ski Mask Rapist” Jon Barry Simonis, to name a few), all as she balanced her life as a mother of four. 

Related: The 17 best true crime shows on Hulu to watch now

“The fact that a lone female was representing herself with the FBI,” an interviewee says in the clip, “led authorities to call the FBI to say, ‘Somebody’s down here impersonating an agent.’”

“Yeah,” Burgess says with a smile. “They weren’t ready for it.”

For the Fanning sisters, Mastermind allowed them to create space for “an unsung female hero to tell her story for the first time,” they tell EW via email.

“It’s deeply empathetic towards victims and their loved ones, a real journey through the lens of the psychology of profiling, and ultimately a galvanizing message," the sisters say. "If one person can make such sweeping changes for the better, what’s to say the rest of us can’t be agents of positive cultural change in the same way in whatever field we’re in?” The pair was drawn to Burgess’ sense of humor and lightness despite the weight of her work. “That, plus her bravery and conviction, made us immediate fans,” they say. “She was underestimated but still persisted until she changed the entire landscape.”

The sisters executive produced alongside their team at Lewellen Pictures, the company they formed in 2021 that produced Elle Fanning’s The Great and The Girl From Plainville, among other titles. “We’ve been doing it in one way or another for our whole lives,” the sisters say of their “second nature” collaboration style. “We’re both very decisive and clear on the vision for the company and trust each other implicitly. This company is our baby and if we’re putting our names on it, you can be sure it’s coming directly from us.”

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From notes to production to post to marketing, “there’s no part of the process we don’t have our fingerprints on,” they say. “Everyone at our company has that same high bar for what we put out into the world. We’re relentless when it comes to ensuring we can proudly stand by the content we put out into the world.”

Related: Elle Fanning addresses The Great cancellation and where she thinks Catherine's journey goes next

Both are “avid consumers” of the true crime genre. “For us it’s a fascination with psychology — the puzzle of it all, the thriller components,” the Fannings say. “But we’re cognizant of the fact that these stories are about real people; the ripple effects of their trauma extends out to a sea of loved ones. The shows and movies that strike that balance are the ones we find ourselves most drawn to. These stories typically show us the best and worst of who we are and who we can be.”

All three episodes of Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer debut July 11 on Hulu. Watch the trailer above.

A previous version of this story misidentified George Sanchez, another convicted "ski mask rapist," as the "ski mask rapist" Burgess investigated. She investigated Jon Barry Simonis.

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.