Streaming service Netflix has released the trailer for Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, the fourth installment of its serial killer anthology series.
The upcoming season marks the first time across four seasons that a female killer takes center stage as the main character. All eight episodes of the new season will debut simultaneously on Netflix on September 17, 2026.
American actress Ella Beatty stars as Lizzie Borden, the 32-year-old woman accused of the brutal murder of her father and stepmother in 1892. Although a court acquitted her of the crimes, many people continued to believe in her guilt. Over the following decades, Borden became a prominent figure in urban legends, and her story was frequently adapted across popular culture.
Cast and production team
The new season features an ensemble cast alongside Beatty, including Vicky Krieps, Charlie Hunnam, Rebecca Hall, Billie Lourd, and Sarah Paulson. Krieps previously appeared in films such as Phantom Thread, Bergman Island, Corsage, and The Three Musketeers franchise. Hunnam has starred in Green Street, Crimson Peak, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, and The Gentlemen. Hall is known for Iron Man 3, Godzilla vs. Kong, and the television series Tales from the Loop, The Studio, and Beauty. Lourd and Paulson have both starred in American Horror Story, with Lourd also appearing in Scream Queens and Paulson in Ratched.
Screenwriter Ryan Murphy co-created the Monster anthology series. Murphy is known as the co-creator of television hits including Nip/Tuck, Glee, American Horror Story, Pose, and Ratched. Every storyline in the Monster anthology is based on real people and historical crime cases.
Previous seasons of Monster
The franchise premiered its first season in 2022, focusing on serial killer and necrophile Jeffrey Dahmer, who was active between 1978 and 1991. Evan Peters, known for American Horror Story and the X-Men film franchise, played Dahmer in the debut installment.
Netflix released the second season in 2024, detailing the story of the Menendez brothers, who were convicted of the brutal 1989 murder of their parents in Beverly Hills. The cast featured Javier Bardem, known for No Country for Old Men, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and the Dune franchise, alongside Chloë Sevigny, who starred in Boys Don't Cry, Zodiac, and Bones and All.
The third season premiered in the autumn of 2025 and centered on 1950s serial killer Ed Gein, who served as the inspiration for the character Norman Bates in the film Psycho. Hunnam played the lead role of Gein in that installment before returning for the fourth season.
Criticism and true crime debate
While the Monster series continues to draw high viewer ratings, it has faced criticism from commentators who accuse the show of romanticizing serial killers. Horror director Oz Perkins, whose directing credits include Longlegs, The Monkey, and Keeper, publicly criticized the franchise and its approach to real-life crimes.
Perkins is the son of actor Anthony Perkins, who portrayed Norman Bates in Psycho and was himself depicted as a character within the Monster series. The director stated that the modern true crime industry is increasingly stripped of context. He added that the Netflix-ification of real pain turns human tragedies into glamorous entertainment content.
