From the murder of JonBenét Ramsey to convicted killer Ed Gein, there’s several scripted true crime shows coming our way soon.
Paramount+ recently announced a limited series that will cover the Ramsey family before and after JonBenet’s murder in 1996. The unnamed JonBenét Ramsey series specifically centers around parents John and Patsy dealing with the loss of their child as an investigation questions their involvement in her death.
“At the heart of the series, it is the story of Patsy and John Ramsey,” read a September 2024 press release. “Exploring the unbreakable partnership of these two complex people — as husband and wife, as mother and father — who had committed themselves and their children to building the narrative of a perfect, privileged life only to have it destroyed one Christmas night in 1996.”
Meanwhile over at Hulu, Grace Van Patten will play the lead role in an upcoming untitled Amanda Knox project, which is executive produced by Knox herself. The eight-episode limited series is “based on the true story of how Knox was wrongfully convicted for the murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher, and her 16-year odyssey to set herself truly free.”
From Sherri Papini‘s kidnapping hoax to the two separate documentaries about Scott Peterson‘s murder conviction, it’s safe to say that most streaming services are investing in true crime in 2024. Netflix and Hulu usually corner the genre by focusing on the most recent — and most surprising — cases. It was Investigation Discovery, however, that […]
Keep scrolling for more of the most anticipated — and scripted — TV shows based on true crime cases:
‘Monster’ Season 3 (Netflix)
Ed Gein Getty Images
Nicknamed the “Butcher of Plainfield,” Ed Gein was convicted of one count of first-degree murder and admitted to a second killing in the 1950s. It has been suspected that Gein was involved in multiple other crimes around his Plainfield, Wisconsin, hometown. Gein also admitted to exhuming multiple graves and fashioned grotesque keepsakes out of the bodies. Gein served as the inspiration behind movies such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Psycho.
Charlie Hunnam has taken on the role of Gein in the next installment of Ryan Murphy’s Monster. Laurie Metcalf has also been cast as Gein’s mother while Tom Hollander will play Alfred Hitchcock and Olivia Williams is starring as Hitchcock’s wife, Alma Reville.
Untitled Amanda Knox Series (Hulu)
Amanda Knox Franco Origlia/Getty Images
Knox was accused in 2007 of murdering her roommate Kercher while they were studying abroad in Perugia, Italy. Knox was sentenced to 26 years in prison after she and then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were both convicted of the crime despite a lack of evidence.
An appellate court later found the former couple not guilty in 2011, but they were again found guilty three years later during a retrial. The Italian supreme court cleared Knox of Kercher’s murder in 2015 and she was exonerated.
Ivorian migrant Rudy Guede was sentenced in 2008 to 30 years for Kercher’s murder after his DNA was identified at the crime scene. His sentence was later reduced, and he was released from prison in November 2021.
Margaret Qualley was originally set to play Knox in Hulu’s scripted series but she exited the project with Patten replacing her. Grace’s sister, Anna Van Patten, joined her on set in the role of Knox’s sister.
Ryan Murphy‘s Monster has spotlighted some of the most infamous true crime cases — and sparked backlash along the way. The first season debuted in 2022 and centered around Evan Peters‘ portrayal of Jeffrey Dahmer. Monster, which also starred Niecy Nash, came under fire after the family of Dahmer’s victims revealed they weren’t consulted for […]
Untitled JonBenet Ramsey Series (Paramount+)
JonBenet Ramsey ABL Studio/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock
After JonBenét’s murder, Patsy and John were suspected of being involved, and a grand jury voted to indict the pair in 1999. The indictment was never signed by the Boulder district attorney, however, because there was a lack of evidence. The couple were exonerated in 2008 when DNA testing helped investigators determine that the DNA found on JonBenét’s body was from an unrelated male.
Patsy and John are set to be played by Melissa McCarthy and Clive Owen, respectively. The series also stars Emily Mitchell, Garrett Hedlund, Alison Pill, Owen Teague, Shea Whigham and Will Patton. The role of Burke has yet to be cast.
Untitled Murdaugh Murders Podcast Series (Hulu)
Alex Murdaugh SCDC/MEGA
The Murdaughs were a prominent family in South Carolina that made headlines after the deaths of five people in a six-year time period. They were allegedly involved in a variety of crimes including murder and fraud, which is the subject of Hulu’s upcoming series.
Alex Murdaugh —a powerful civil litigation lawyer — resigned in 2021 after accusations of misappropriating funds. He was indicted in 2022 on double murder charges after his wife and son were killed. He was found guilty of murder and has also pleaded guilty to 22 federal charges, including wire fraud and money laundering.
Patricia Arquette will play Maggie Murdaugh in the “stranger-than-fiction family drama, a riveting account drawing from countless hours of reporting by Mandy Matney — journalist and creator of the popular ‘Murdaugh Murders Podcast’ — as well as exclusive, insider knowledge from years spent following the case.”
‘Natalia’ (Hulu)
Natalia Grace News Licensing / MEGA
Natalia Grace, who was diagnosed with a rare form of dwarfism, is the subject of the upcoming Hulu series after her former adoptive parents were charged with multiple counts of neglecting a dependent in 2019. The charges resulted after a five-year investigation where the couple alleged that Natalia was an adult masquerading as a child and have maintained their innocence.
Ellen Pompeo will star in and executive produce the limited series, which marks her first significant role since landing Grey’s Anatomy in 2005.
Ramey Photo/Mega Agency; Miles Crist/Netflix When a true crime case is making headlines, there are usually multiple programs covering the same subject within months of each other. Not every duel release is intentional, but topics such as Sherri Papini‘s kidnapping case and Erik Menéndez and Lyle Menéndez‘s infamous murder trial are great examples of multiple […]
‘Firebug’ (Apple TV+)
John Leonard Orr YouTube
The upcoming crime miniseries is inspired by the podcast of the same name. Taron Egerton, Jurnee Smollett, John Leguizamo, Rafe Spall and Greg Kinnear star in the show about notorious California arsonist John Leonard Orr.
Orr was a fire captain and arson investigator that was convicted of serial arson and four counts of murder. He is believed to have set nearly 2,000 fires in a 30-year arson spree, which makes him the most prolific serial arsonist in American history. He has maintained his innocence but reached a plea agreement that resulted in him being paroled in 2002.
‘My Dentist’s Murder Trial’ (HBO)
Dr. Gilberto Nunez YouTube
Taken inspiration from a New Yorker article, My Dentist’s Murder Trial tells the true story of Dr. Gilberto Nunez (played by Pedro Pascal), who was indicted for the murder of his friend, Thomas Kolman (played by David Harbour). Nunez was found not guilty of murder by a jury in 2016.
‘Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy’ (Peacock)
John Wayne Gacy Getty Images
John Wayne Gacy was a serial killer and sex offender who raped, tortured and murdered dozens of young men and boys. He was sentenced to death after being convicted of 32 murders and died by lethal injection in 1994. Michael Chernus is playing the notorious serial killer in Peacock’s scripted series, which also stars Gabriel Luna, James Badge Dale, Michael Angarano and Chris Sullivan.
