'Monster' S04 to focus on female killer for first time
What's the story
Netflix's acclaimed crime anthology series, Monster, will return for its fourth season with a unique twist. The upcoming installment will focus on the first-ever alleged female killer in the show's history: Lizzie Borden. The streaming giant has confirmed this news and also announced that Ella Beatty (Feud: Capote vs. The Swans) has been cast as Lizzie. This marks a significant departure from previous seasons, which centered around notorious male criminals like Jeffrey Dahmer and Ed Gein.
Cast announcement
Beatty's excitement for joining 'Monster'
Beatty, the daughter of Hollywood stars Annette Bening and Warren Beatty, had taken to Instagram to express her excitement about joining Monster back in July. She wrote that she couldn't "believe" she would be working with "geniuses" Rebecca Hall and Vicky Krieps, who are also part of the cast. The series was created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan in 2022.
Plot details
What was the Lizzie Borden case?
The fourth season of Monster will delve into the infamous case of Lizzie Borden, who was accused of murdering her father Andrew and stepmother Abby with a hatchet in Fall River, Massachusetts in August 1892. The gruesome double homicide led to speculation that Lizzie, then 32 years old, was the killer. Despite being tried for the murders in 1893, she was acquitted.
Cast details
Other cast members and their roles
After an extensive search across multiple countries, production has cast Beatty in the lead role. Hall will play Lizzie's stepmother, and Charlie Hunnam will portray her father. Krieps, who starred in Season 3 alongside Hunnam, will play Bridget Sullivan, the Borden family's maid. Billie Lourd has been added to the cast as Lizzie's older sister Emma Borden. Jessica Barden will also join as Nance O'Neill, a stage actor and friend of Lizzie's who causes a rift between the sisters.
Production details
When will 'Monster' S04 go on floors?
The fourth season of Monster is set to begin filming in Los Angeles this fall, according to Deadline. Max Winkler, son of Henry Winkler and husband of Barden, will direct the first episode. In a previous interview with Variety, Murphy hinted at a broader exploration of infamous women branded as monsters throughout history in this season. The release date for the fourth season has yet to be announced by Netflix.