Netflix's 'Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story' Teaser Promises Shocking New Anthology Entry
The next installment of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan's serial killer anthology, 'Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story', releases a teaser trailer. The series launches on Netflix on September 17. It stars Ella Beatty as Lizzie Borden.
The fourth season of the anthology introduces its first female lead, with Ella Beatty portraying the accused murderer. The teaser shows her wielding an axe, while Charlie Hunnam—who played Ed Gein in the prior season—delivers the final line of the nursery rhyme. All eight episodes premiere together on September 17.
Creator Ryan Murphy revealed a personal childhood link, having won a kindergarten singing contest performing the rhyme. He described the season as a thematic exploration of women confronting societal systems, questioning whether villains are inherently born or shaped by circumstance. The narrative also features two other historical figures—Aileen Wuornos and Elizabeth Bathory—played by Sarah Paulson and Vicky Krieps.
This release could reignite public fascination with historical true crime, potentially influencing how audiences perceive gender dynamics within the justice system. Viewers may engage in renewed debates about guilt, innocence, and media portrayal of female violence. The anthology's focus on systemic pressures could prompt broader conversations about societal treatment of women, though its dramatic framing may also risk oversimplifying complex historical realities.