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BBC leads this year’s Banff Rockie Awards International Program Competition, with 28 nominations, followed by National Geographic and Hulu (seven nominations each) and Disney Television Studios and Audible (five nominations each).

The Banff World Media Festival is set to merge its Banff Gala Awards and Rockie Awards International Program Competition into a single ceremony during this year’s festival. The in-person awards show will take place Monday, June 9 at 5:30 p.m. Mt (4:30 p.m. Pt/ 7:30 p.m. Et).

“For the first time ever, we’re bringing together the prestigious Gala Awards and the Rockies into one incredible event. This will be a spectacular night celebrating the industry’s most influential leaders alongside the world’s top creative talent — all in one room, under one roof. With so many groundbreaking creators and executives in attendance, this year’s show promises to be an unforgettable, must-see celebration of excellence in global entertainment,...

Truth be told, the human species has always been interested in the dark subject that we now call “true crime.” In the Western mythological canon, the very first story after the creation of man and the Garden of Eden is literally that of a fratricide.

Still, you may have noticed of late that pop culture’s obsession with crimes, those who commit them, and how they are punished has intensified of late. If you want to pinpoint a recent moment in the 21st century where our fascination with true crime intensified, you can probably do a lot worse than 2004’s The Staircase.

The Staircase (titled Soupçons or “Suspicions” in its director’s native French) is a multi-part true crime docuseries that helped paved the way for so many of the other true crime docs we see today. The project began when French filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade learned of a curious...

Apple TV+ has confirmed a series order for The Changeling, a drama based on Victor Lavalle’s best-selling book of the same name, with Lakeith Stanfield set to star. Kelly Marcel wrote the adaptation and serves as showrunner. Queen & Slim helmer and Insecure alum Melina Matsoukas will direct.

The Changeling, from Annapurna and Apple Studios, is a fairytale for grown-ups. A horror story, a parenthood fable and a perilous odyssey through a New York City you didn’t know existed.

In the Lavelle’s book, when Apollo — the role that Stanfield will be playing — and Emma have their baby, Brian, it feels like both a reward and a challenge for the new dad. Apollo, the son of a single mother, had been scraping by as a bookseller who hunts estate and garage sales for rare first editions, so even the unusual circumstance...

Laetitia, the first French series to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, is heading to HBO.

The premium cabler has acquired the North American linear and streaming rights to the six-part limited series from The Staircase and Murder on a Sunday Morning director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade. Watch the first trailer above.

The series follows the disappearance of eighteen year old Laetitia, played by Sophie Breyer, and the repercussions that follow her twin sister Jessica, played by Marie Colomb.

Based on Ivan Jablonka’s book, the series is written by Antoine Lacomblez and written and directed by de Lestrade. It is produced by Cpb Films, France Télévisions, Be-Films/ Rtbf and Pictanovo and is distributed by France TV Distribution. It is exec produced by Jean Labib and produced by Judith Louis and Christophe Louis.

Launching on Monday August 30 and based on true events, it looks at the the disappearance of a teenage girl in western France.

Exclusive: Justice Leak (For All Mankind) is set for a key recurring role opposite Michael Stuhlbarg in The Staircase, HBO Max’s limited series drama adaptation based on Jean-Xavier de Lestrade’s true-crime docuseries.

Leak will play Tom Maher, David Rudolf’s (Stuhlbarg) down-to-earth co-counsel. In addition to Stuhlbarg, he joins joining previously announced cast members Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Rosemarie DeWitt, Juliette Binoche, Parker Posey, Odessa Young, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Dane DeHaan, Olivia DeJonge, Sophie Turner and Tim Guinee.

The eight-episode limited series is based on the docuseries and various books and reports on the case of Michael Peterson, who was convicted in 2003 of murdering Kathleen two years earlier. The charge was reduced to manslaughter in 2017, and Peterson subsequently was released from prison. He had claimed his wife died after falling down the stairs at their home after consuming alcohol and Valium, but an autopsy concluded she died from multiple injuries,...

When speaking with talent affiliated with some of the most prominent television documentaries of the past year, the subjects of their favorite documentaries as well as the challenges of conveying the truth in a time when it’s easy to get lost in disinformation were subjects that provoked deep discussions. Gold Derby recently put this question to James Gay-Rees (“1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything”), Hao Wu (“76 Days”), Madison Hamburg (“Murder on Middle Beach”), Ellen Kuras (“Pretend it’s a City”) and Wendy Williams (“Wendy Williams: What a Mess”) during our recent “Meet the Experts” panel.

You can watch the documentary group panel above with these five creative talents. Click on each person’s name above to be taken to their individual interview.

For Hamburg, he wasn’t able to single out one specific documentary that influenced him. He did cite masters of the genre including Frederick Wiseman and Steve James,...

Angie Harmon is set to star in and executive-producer a series of Lifetime movies, playing a single mother/diner owner whose very dark past keeps coming back to haunt her, despite her desire for a quiet life.

Barstow, as the franchise of closed-ended movies is tentatively titled, is part of a larger, multi-picture development deal that the Rizzoli & Isles star has just inked with the cabler, to EP, direct and star in projects.

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Sansa Stark is heading back to HBO. Okay, well maybe not Sansa Stark, but Sophie Turner is returning to the premium network that spawned “Game of Thrones.” And no, it’s not in a ‘Thrones’ spinoff. Instead, she’s set to play a fairly pivotal role in the highly-anticipated HBO limited series, “The Staircase.”

Read More: Toni Collette To Star Opposite Colin Firth In Antonio Campos’ ‘The Staircase’ HBO Series

According to Deadline, Sophie Turner has signed on to join the all-star cast in Antonio Campos’ upcoming HBO series, “The Staircase.” The series is based on the real-life story of author Michael Peterson and the mysterious (perhaps nefarious) details surrounding the death of his wife while at their family home.

Continue reading ‘The Staircase’: Sophie Turner Joins All-Star Cast Of Antonio Campos’ Upcoming Series at The Playlist.

Sophie Turner has joined the cast of the scripted limited series adaptation of “The Staircase” at HBO Max, the streamer announced Tuesday.

Turner joins Colin Firth and Toni Collette in the series from Antonio Campos and Maggie Cohn. Campos will direct six of the eight episodes and co-write the series with Cohn. The series is a co-production between HBO Max and Annapurna Television.

Firth stars as Michael Peterson, who was convicted in 2003 of murdering his wife and spent eight years in prison, as documented in the true crime docuseries of the same name by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade. Collette plays Peterson’s wife, Kathleen, and Turner will play Margaret Ratliff, one of Michael Peterson’s adopted daughters.

Juliette Binoche, Rosemarie DeWitt and Parker Posey also star in the limited series.

De Lestrade’s hit docuseries “The Staircase” was first released in 2004 and featured interviews with Peterson’s family, attorneys, as well as courtroom footage.

Sophie Turner is the latest high-profile star to join HBO Max’s Michael Peterson limited drama series The Staircase.

Game of Thrones alum Turner will play Margaret Ratliff, one of Peterson’s adopted daughters, in the scripted telling of the infamous murder case.

She will feature in the eight-part drama alongside Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Juliette Binoche, Rosemarie DeWitt and Parker Posey.

The series, which comes from Christine director Antonio Campos and American Crime Story writer Maggie Cohn, explores the life of Michael Peterson (Firth), his sprawling North Carolina family and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen (Collette).

DeWitt plays Candace Zamperini, Kathleen Peterson’s sister; Posey plays Freda Black, assistant district attorney and prosecutor in the Peterson case; and Binoche’s character is being kept under wraps.

2020-21 HBO Max Pilots & Series Orders

Margaret Ratliff and her sister Marth were adopted by Peterson after their mother Elizabeth Ratliff,...

Sophie Turner has joined the cast of the HBO Max series “The Staircase.”

Turner joins previously announced cast members Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Parker Posey, Juliette Binoche, and Rosemarie DeWitt.

The eight-episode series is based on the docuseries of the same name as well as various books and reports about the case of Michael Peterson (Firth), who was accused of murdering his wife, Kathleen (Collette), in 2001. He claimed she died after falling down the stairs at their home, but police suspected he bludgeoned her to death and staged the scene to look like an accident.

Turner will play Margaret Ratliff, one of Michael Peterson’s adopted daughters. Turner is best known for her role as Sansa Stark in the megahit HBO series “Game of Thrones.” Her time on the show earned her an Emmy nomination for best supporting actress in a drama. She is also know for playing Jean Grey...

Sophie Turner is returning to HBO.

The Game of Thrones star been cast in the limited series The Staircase, which is coming to the company’s streaming service, HBO Max.

The Staircase is based on the true story of novelist Michael Peterson, his sprawling North Carolina family, and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen Peterson. Turner will play Margaret Ratliff, one of Peterson’s adopted daughters. The Peterson case was also chronicled in a French documentary titled The Staircase in 2004.

Turner joins an all-star cast in the project that includes Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Juliette Binoche, Rosemarie DeWitt and Parker Posey. The series ...

Sophie Turner is returning to HBO.

The Game of Thrones star been cast in the limited series The Staircase, which is coming to the company’s streaming service, HBO Max.

The Staircase is based on the true story of novelist Michael Peterson, his sprawling North Carolina family, and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen Peterson. Turner will play Margaret Ratliff, one of Peterson’s adopted daughters. The Peterson case was also chronicled in a French documentary titled The Staircase in 2004.

Turner joins an all-star cast in the project that includes Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Juliette Binoche, Rosemarie DeWitt and Parker Posey. The series ...

Lost vet Elizabeth Mitchell is taking on a bloodthirsty new gig in the Netflix vampire hunter series First Kill.

In the drama — based on a short story by author Victoria “V. E.” Schwab — “it’s time for teenage vampire Juliette (played by Sarah Catherine Hook) to make her first kill so she can take her place among a powerful vampire family,” per the official synopsis. “She sets her sights on a new girl in town named Calliope (Star‘s Imani Lewis). But much to Juliette’s surprise, Calliope is a vampire hunter, from a family of celebrated slayers. Both find...

Parker Posey will star alongside Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Juliette Binoche and Rosemarie DeWitt in the HBO Max limited series “The Staircase.”

The eight-parter is based on the docuseries of the same name and various books and reports on the Michael Peterson (Firth) case. Peterson was accused of murdering his wife, Kathleen (Collette), in 2001. He claimed she died after falling down the stairs at their home after consuming alcohol and Valium, but police suspected he bludgeoned her to death and staged the scene to look like an accident. An autopsy revealed that Kathleen died from blows to the back of her head with a blunt object and other injuries. The docuseries was originally released in 2004, with creator Jean-Xavier de Lestrade updating with new information years later. Netflix released it as a 13-episode series in 2018.

Posey will play Freda Black, an assistant district attorney and prosecutor. DeWitt will play Peterson’s sister,...

Parker Posey is set to star alongside Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Juliette Binoche and Rosemarie DeWitt in The Staircase, HBO Max’s limited series drama adaptation based on the true-crime docuseries.

The eight-episode series from Christine director Antonio Campos and American Crime Story writer Maggie Cohn explores the life of Michael Peterson (Firth), his sprawling North Carolina family and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen (Collette).

Posey will play Freda Black, assistant district attorney and prosecutor in the Peterson case.

The series is based on the docuseries and various books and reports on the case of Michael Peterson, who was convicted in 2003 of murdering Kathleen two years earlier. The charge was reduced to manslaughter in 2017, and Peterson subsequently was released from prison. He had claimed his wife died after falling down the stairs at their home after consuming alcohol and Valium, but an autopsy concluded she died from multiple injuries,...

Exclusive: Juliette Binoche is set to star alongside Toni Collette, Colin Firth and Rosemarie DeWitt in The Staircase, HBO Max’s drama limited series adaptation based on the true-crime docuseries.

The eight-episode series from Antonio Campos — who directed the Rebecca Hall-fronted feature Christine — and American Crime Story writer Maggie Cohn, explores the life of Michael Peterson (Firth), his sprawling North Carolina family and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen (Collette).

Binoche’s character is being kept under wraps.

The series is based on the docuseries and various books and reports on the case of Michael Peterson, who was convicted in 2003 of murdering Kathleen two years earlier. The charge was reduced to manslaughter in 2017, and Peterson subsequently was released from prison. He had claimed his wife died after falling down the stairs at their home after consuming alcohol and Valium, but an autopsy concluded she died from multiple injuries,...

Exclusive: Rosemarie DeWitt is set to star alongside Toni Collette and Colin Firth in The Staircase, HBO Max’s drama limited series adaptation based on the true-crime docuseries.

The eight-episode series from Antonio Campos, who directed the Rebecca Hall-fronted feature Christine, and American Crime Story writer Maggie Cohn, explores the life of Michael Peterson (Firth), his sprawling North Carolina family and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen (Collette).

DeWitt will play Candace Zamperini, Kathleen Peterson’s sister.

The series is based on the docuseries and various books and reports on the case. Michael Peterson was convicted of murdering Kathleen in 2001, a charge that was reduced to manslaughter in 2017, and Peterson subsequently was released from prison. He had claimed his wife died after falling down the stairs at their home after consuming alcohol and Valium, but an autopsy concluded she died from multiple injuries, including blows to the back...

The Sundance Institute and Picturehouse Cinemas have announced that Sundance Film Festival: London will return to Picturehouse Central for its sixth year from 29 July to 1 August 2021, as an in-person event.

This year’s programme is promising to include upwards of 12 features, panel discussions, Q+As and special guest appearances. The Festival opens with the UK premiere of Edgar Wright’s debut documentary ‘The Sparks Brothers’, a musical odyssey through five weird and wonderful decades with brothers Ron and Russell Mael. In partnership with Universal, consecutive screenings of the film will take place in multiple cinemas across the UK with a filmmaker Q+A simultaneously broadcast from Picturehouse Central on 29 July 2021.

Wright stated; “I was just 5 years old when I was hypnotised by Ron & Russell Mael (collectively Sparks) staring at me from the telly on a 1979 episode of Top Of The Pops. Over the next four decades, their music has been a riddle turned full-on obsession.

Elizabeth Olsen is set to star in the new HBO Max limited series ‘Love and Death’ from writer and executive producer David E. Kelley.

Olsen will star as the Texan housewife Candy Montgomery, a woman who murdered her friend from church, Betty Gore, with an axe in 1980.

The story is inspired by the book ‘Evidence of Love: A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs’ and a collection of articles from Texas Monthly.

The series is described as a gripping story about the frustrations and desires of two women in a small town that culminates in a terrible act of violence.

Also in news – Toni Collette joins Colin Firth in HBO true crime series ‘The Staircase’

Nicole Kidman will also executive produce. Linka Glatter will also executive produce in addition to directing, with Scott Brown and Megan Creydt of Texas Monthly, Matthew Tinker, Michael Klick and Helen Verno also executive producing.

The Brothers Garcia will soon be reunited: HBO Max has handed a 10-episode order to The Garcias, a sequel to the early-aughts Nickelodeon sitcom, Variety reports.

The revival, which is set to begin production in June, will find the eponymous Mexican American family embark on a three-month summer vacation at a luxury beach resort. All six original cast members — Alvin Alvarez (Larry), Jeffrey Licon (Carlos), Bobby Gonzalez (George), Vaneza Pitynski (Lorena), Ada Maris (Sonia) and Carlos Lacamara (Ray) — are set to reprise their roles; original series co-creator Jeff Valdez will serve as showrunner.

More from TVLineWhat's New on Netflix in May — Plus: Amazon,...

Apple TV+ today announced ‘Schmigadoon!,’ the six-episode musical comedy will premiere on the streamer on July 16th.

The series is a parody of iconic Golden Age musicals and stars Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key as a couple on a backpacking trip designed to reinvigorate their relationship who discover a magical town living in a 1940s musical. They then learn that they can’t leave until they find “true love.” The first season also stars Alan Cumming, Kristin Chenoweth, Aaron Tveit, Dove Cameron, Ariana DeBose, Fred Armisen, Jaime Camil, Jane Krakowski and Ann Harada. Martin Short guest stars.

Also in news – Toni Collette joins Colin Firth in HBO true crime series ‘The Staircase’

Co-created by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, Paul also serves as a showrunner and wrote all of the original songs for the series. Barry Sonnenfeld directs and executive produces. In addition to starring, Cecily Strong serves as producer,...

The idea of Antonio Campos making a limited series based on the famous true crime story that was detailed in “The Staircase” is enough to get anyone excited. The recent addition of Colin Firth as the star sent me over the moon. But folks, I’m not sure I can handle the fact that Toni Collette is now on board as well.

Read More: ‘The Staircase’: Colin Firth To Star In Antonio Campos’ HBO True-Crime Adaptation

According to Variety, Toni Collette has joined the cast of “The Staircase” series that is coming to HBO from director Antonio Campos.

Continue reading Toni Collette To Star Opposite Colin Firth In Antonio Campos’ ‘The Staircase’ HBO Series at The Playlist.

Toni Collette is the latest name to join HBO’s limited true-crime series ‘The Staircase’, she joins Colin Firth who plays the lead.

The eight-episode series will follow novelist Michael Peterson (Firth), his North Carolina family, and Kathleen’s suspicious death. Collette will take on the role of Kathleen.

Harrison Ford was initially rumoured to have been attached to star in the role now filled by Firth.

Also in news – Keeley Hawes & Max Beesley set for Sky series ‘The Midwich Cuckoos’

The documentary from director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade delved into the story of Michael Peterson, a crime novelist accused of killing his wife Kathleen after she is found dead at the bottom of a staircase in their home, and the 16-year judicial battle that followed. De Lestrade was granted unusual access to the case immediately following Kathleen’s death in 2001 in Durham, Nc. Her husband, Michael, a local public figure and successful novelist,...

The Staircase has found its Kathleen Peterson in Toni Collette. Collette joins Colin Firth in the HBO Max limited series, which is based on the true crime docuseries of the same name. The series tells the story of Michael Peterson, who was convicted of murdering his wife Kathleen. Peterson’s defense team argued that Kathleen’s death was […]

The post ‘The Staircase’ Series Casts Toni Collette as Kathleen Peterson appeared first on /Film.

Colin Firth stars as the novelist convicted of murdering his wife, Kathleen Peterson

Toni Collette has been cast in HBO Max’s scripted “The Staircase” limited series as Kathleen Peterson, the wife of novelist Michael Peterson, whose suspicious death was the subject of the hit docuseries of the same name.

She joins Colin Firth in the series from Antonio Campos and Maggie Cohn. Firth stars as Michael Peterson, who was convicted in 2003 of murdering his wife and spent eight years in prison. In 2011, he was granted a new trial, but before it could start, he submitted to an Alford plea to the reduced charge of manslaughter. He was sentenced to time already served and was set free.

Collette’s Kathleen is described as “a corporate executive, mother and stepmother of five.”

The eight-episode limited series is an adaptation of the original docuseries directed by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, which was first...

Emmy winner and Oscar nominee Toni Collette is set to star opposite Colin Firth in The Staircase, HBO Max’s drama limited series adaptation based on the true-crime docuseries.

Collette will play Kathleen Peterson, a corporate executive, mother, stepmother of five and wife of Michael Peterson, played by Firth.

The eight-episode series from Antonio Campos, who directed the Rebecca Hall-fronted feature Christine, and American Crime Story writer Maggie Cohn, explores of life of Michael Peterson, his sprawling North Carolina family and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen.

The series is based on the docuseries and various books and reports on the case. Michael Peterson was convicted of murdering Kathleen in 2001, a charge that was reduced to manslaughter in 2017 and Peterson released from prison. He had claimed his wife died after falling down the stairs at their home after consuming alcohol and Valium, but an autopsy concluded she died from multiple injuries,...

Toni Collette will star alongside Colin Firth in the HBO Max limited series “The Staircase,” Variety has learned.

The eight-episode series is based on the docuseries of the same name as well as various books and reports about the case of Michael Peterson (Firth), who was accused of murdering his wife, Kathleen (Collette), in 2001. He claimed she died after falling down the stairs at their home, but police suspected he bludgeoned her to death and staged the scene to look like an accident.

Collette is one of the most celebrated actresses working today, with numerous critically-acclaimed performances in both film and television. In TV, she most recently starred in the Netflix series “Unbelievable” and will also star in the streamer’s upcoming drama “Pieces of Her.” She won an Emmy in 2009 for her starring role in the Showtime series “United States of Tara,” while she picked up a Golden Globe...

‘The Undoing’ actor Edgar Ramírez has joined the stellar cast of Eli Roth’s video game adaptation ‘Borderlands’.

Ramírez will play the character of Atlas, a business titan and arms manufacturer and the most powerful person in the known universe. He joins Cate Blanchett who stars as Lilith, an infamous outlaw with a mysterious past, reluctantly returns to her home planet of Pandora to find the missing daughter of Atlas.

She forms an alliance with an unexpected team – Roland (Kevin Hart), a former elite mercenary, now desperate for redemption; Tiny Tina (Ariana Greenblatt), a feral pre-teen demolitionist; Krieg (Florian Munteanu), Tina’s musclebound, rhetorically challenged protector; Tannis (Jamie Lee Curtis), the scientist with a tenuous grip on sanity; and Claptrap (Jack Black), a persistent wiseass robot.

These unlikely heroes must battle alien monsters and dangerous bandits to find and protect the missing girl, who may hold the key to unimaginable power.

The Staircase is coming to HBO Max. The streaming service has ordered a new drama series which is an adaptation of the true-crime docu-series of the same name. It's an exploration of the life of novelist Michael Peterson, his family, and the suspicious 2001 death of his wife at their home. Colin Firth will play Peterson in the eight-episode series.

revealed more about the upcoming drama in a press release.

“HBO Max has ordered The Staircase, an eight-episode limited series starring Academy and BAFTA Award-Winner® Colin Firth as American novelist Michael Peterson. The Max Original is a co-production between HBO Max and Annapurna Television.

Antonio Campos will direct 6 of the 8 episodes.

Adapting the true crime docuseries “The Staircase” and various books and reports on the case, The Staircase...

Colin Firth has been snapped up to take the lead on the HBO series ‘The Staircase’ based on the true-crime docuseries.

The eight-episode series will follow novelist Michael Peterson (Firth), his North Carolina family and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen.

Harrison Ford was initially rumoured to have been attached to the role.

The documentary from director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade delved into the story of Michael Peterson, a crime novelist accused of killing his wife Kathleen after she is found dead at the bottom of a staircase in their home, and the 16-year judicial battle that followed. De Lestrade was granted unusual access to the case immediately following Kathleen’s death in 2001 in Durham, Nc. Her husband, Michael, a local public figure and successful novelist, quickly became the prime suspect and was convicted. Lestrade returned to the case a few years later for a three-part follow-up to the case,...

The Staircase, the docuseries about the murder trial of Michael Peterson, is becoming a limited series for HBO Max. At one point it was rumored that Harrison Ford would play Peterson on the show, but it looks like that didn’t pan out. Instead, Colin Firth will play Peterson, a writer who was convicted of the murder […]

The post ‘The Staircase’ Limited Series, Based on the True Crime Docuseries, Headed to HBO Max With Star Colin Firth appeared first on /Film.

Colin Firth is stepping into the shoes of author Michael Peterson, who was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in 2017. The Mamma Mia! actor is set to portray the 77-year-old novelist in an HBO Max limited series based on the 2004 documentary The Staircase. Antonio Campos will direct the Englishman in the series, which is written and produced by American Crime Story writer Maggie Cohn.  The rest of the cast has yet to be announced, including the actress who will play Michael's second wife, Kathleen Peterson. She was found unconscious at the bottom of a staircase in the family's North Carolina home in 2001, before succumbing to her...

As far as true crime documentaries go, The Staircase is often help up as one of the classics of the genre. The documentary, which tells the stranger-than-fiction story of Michael Peterson, an American novelist accused of murder his wife, began life as a French TV documentary miniseries by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade for Canal +. Netflix eventually ordered additional episodes…...

Colin Firth is leaving the big screen behind for his next role.

HBO Max has picked up The Staircase, an eight-episode limited series starring Academy and BAFTA Award-Winner®, Colin Firth, as American novelist Michael Peterson.

The series is a co-production between HBO Max and Annapurna Television.

Antonio Campos is on board to direct 6 of the 8 episodes.

Adapting the true-crime docuseries The Staircase and various books and reports on the case, this drama series is an exploration of the life of Michael Peterson, his sprawling North Carolina family, and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen Peterson.

“This has been a project I have been working on in one way or another since 2008,” Campos said in a statement.

“It’s been a long and winding road, but well worth the wait to be able to find partners like HBO Max, Annapurna, co-showrunner Maggie Cohn and the incredible Colin Firth to dramatize such a complex true-life story.

HBO Max has ordered “The Staircase,” an eight-episode limited series starring Academy Award winner Colin Firth as American novelist Michael Peterson, who was convicted of murdering his wife Kathleen Peterson in 2003. Adapted from the eponymous true crime docu-series and various books and reports on the case, “The Staircase” is an exploration of the life of Peterson, his sprawling North Carolina family, and the suspicious death of his wife Kathleen.

The Max Original is a co-production between HBO Max and Annapurna Television. The project is set to be executive produced by showrunners Antonio Campos and Maggie Cohn, with Campos directing six of the eight episodes.

“This has been a project I have been working on in one way or another since 2008. It’s been a long and winding road, but well worth the wait to be able to find partners like HBO Max, Annapurna, co-showrunner Maggie Cohn and the incredible Colin...

The true crime classic The Staircase, Netflix’s docuseries about novelist Michael Peterson and the suspicious death of his wife Kathleen, is set to become an HBO Max limited series, with Colin Firth cast as Peterson.

The streaming service and Annapurna Television announced the upcoming series Wednesday, with The Devil All the Time director Antonio Campos and co-showrunner Maggie Cohn leading the project

“This has been a project I have been working on in one way or another since 2008,” Campos, who will helm six of the limited series’ eight episodes,...

Academy Award and BAFTA Award winner Colin Firth is set to play American novelist Michael Peterson in HBO Max‘s limited series adaptation of the 2004 true crime docuseries The Staircase.

Antonio Campos (Christine, Afterschool) will direct six of the series’ eight episodes, and serve as co-showrunner alongside Maggie Cohn.

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Adapting...

Thanks to the rise of true-crime docuseries over the past decade, there is more interest than ever before in some of the most ridiculous criminal cases to ever hit the news. And one of those cases was recently covered in the Netflix series, “The Staircase.” That series was one of the many true-crime hits for the streaming service, and due to that series’ popularity, it appears that HBO is ready to move forward with a dramatic adaptation of the murder case involving author Michael Peterson.

Continue reading ‘The Staircase’: Colin Firth To Star In Antonio Campos’ HBO True-Crime Adaptation at The Playlist.

HBO Max is adapting the true-crime docuseries “The Staircase” into a scripted limited series that will star Colin Firth as American novelist Michael Peterson, who was on trial in 2001 for killing his wife.

The writer claimed that his wife died at their home after falling down the stairs, but a medical examiner determined that she had been bludgeoned to death, turning Peterson into a murder suspect. Peterson was convicted in 2003 of murdering Kathleen Peterson and spent eight years in prison. In 2011, he was granted a new trial, but before it could start, he submitted to an Alford plea to the reduced charge of manslaughter. He was sentenced to time already served and was set free.

The original docuseries, directed by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, was released in 2004 and updated with information in 2013 and again in 2018, when it was released as a Netflix documentary.

Antonio Campos will direct six of the eight...

The Staircase was one of the first true-crime documentaries to break out into mainstream culture when it was released in 2004.

The series is now being remade as a drama limited series for HBO Max with Colin Firth playing Michael Peterson, the man convicted of murdering his wife, Kathleen Peterson.

There previously were rumors that Harrison Ford had been attached to the project, which comes from Antonio Campos, the director of Rebecca Hall-fronted feature Christine, and American Crime Story writer Maggie Cohn.

The Staircase is written and exec produced by Campos and Cohn, and Campos will direct six of the eight episodes of the show, which is produced by Annapurna Television and HBO Max.

The Staircase started out as a documentary from director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade. It told the story of Michael Peterson, a crime novelist accused of killing his wife Kathleen after she is found dead at the bottom...

Colin Firth will play Michael Peterson in a series adaptation of “The Staircase,” which has been ordered to series at HBO Max.

HBO Max has ordered eight episodes of the limited series, which is based on the docuseries of the same name and various books and reports on the Peterson case. Peterson was accused of murdering his wife, Kathleen, in 2001. He claimed she died after falling down the stairs at their home, but police suspected he bludgeoned her to death and staged the scene to look like an accident. The docuseries was originally released in 2004, with creator Jean-Xavier de Lestrade updating with new information years later. Netflix released it as a 13-episode series in 2018.

Variety exclusively reported that the scripted series was in development back in 2019. “The Staircase” is written and executive produced by showrunners Antonio Campos and Maggie Cohn. Campos will also direct six of the eight episodes. The...

HBO Max has greenlit a limited series based on the true-crime documentary The Staircase, with Colin Firth set to star.

The eight-episode drama comes from writers and showrunners Antonio Campos (The Sinner, The Devil All the Time) and Maggie Cohn (American Crime Story, The Girl Before) and Annapurna Television. Campos will also direct six of the eight episodes. Using the docuseries along with books and other materials written on the case, The Staircase will explore the life of novelist Michael Peterson (Firth), his North Carolina family and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen.

The series has been in the works at Annapurna ...

HBO Max has greenlit a limited series based on the true-crime documentary The Staircase, with Colin Firth set to star.

The eight-episode drama comes from writers and showrunners Antonio Campos (The Sinner, The Devil All the Time) and Maggie Cohn (American Crime Story, The Girl Before) and Annapurna Television. Campos will also direct six of the eight episodes. Using the docuseries along with books and other materials written on the case, The Staircase will explore the life of novelist Michael Peterson (Firth), his North Carolina family and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen.

The series has been in the works at Annapurna ...

If you took the futuristic dread of Black Mirror and infused it with levity and a dreamy, Disney-style romance, you’d get HBO Max‘s Made for Love.

In the dark comedy (which premieres Thursday, April 1 with three episodes), thirtysomething Hazel (How I Met Your Mother‘s Cristin Milioti) is on the run after being trapped in a suffocating, decade-long marriage to Byron Gogol (Tell Me a Story‘s Billy Magnussen), a controlling tech billionaire who digitally tracks her every move. When Hazel discovers that her husband has implanted a monitoring device directly into her brain, she realizes she must...

Federation Entertainment, Pascal Breton and Lionel Uzan’s independent production and distribution group, is ramping up its premium documentary output with a slate of new acquisitions, including “The Vatican” and “The Sect.”

“The Vatican” is a six-part investigative documentary series exploring the pinnacle of Catholicism, and how incessant scandals and an ever changing society have weakened its foundations. “The Vatican” is directed by Kat Steppe, co-written by Rik Torfs and Jo Badisco, and produced by Kato Maes and Kristoffel Mertens at Belgian outfit Paneka for the broadcaster Vrt. Now filming, the series has already been pre-sold to French SVOD service Salto.

“The Sect,” meanwhile, delivers an in-depth look into the Order of the Solar Temple. The five-part docuseries sheds light on what led 74 members of the cult to commit mass suicide across France, Switzerland and Canada, between 1994 and 1997. “The Sect” is produced by Matthieu Belghiti and Jean-Xavier De Lestrade, the...

1. “The Crown”

Why Should I Watch? Hoo boy, where to start? “The Crown” remains one of television’s most consistent awards contenders, as well as one of Netflix’s most striking accomplishments of the prestige TV era. Magnificent craft work and commanding performances come together each and every season to earn your attention, even if you’re not a costumes junkie or Royals devotee. Season 4 adds an additional point of intrigue with Gillian Anderson joining the cast as Margaret Thatcher, the U.K. Prime Minister from 1979 – 1990 who respectfully spars with Queen Elizabeth, probably over tea during their weekly meetings. Always meticulous and often affecting, “The Crown” Season 4 is set to be another regal experience like no other — no other you can have at home, at least.

Bonus Reason: But wait, there’s more! With Season 4 moving into the ’80s that means it’s time to introduce Diana Spencer — the future Princess of Wales,...

Perfect for those who can't get enough of Unsolved Mysteries and The Staircase, the Netflix true-crime docuseries Carmel: Who Killed María Marta? follows the twisted murder of a 50-year-old Argentinian socialite named María Marta García Belsunce. García Belsunce's death was initially declared an accident, chalked up to a slip in the bathroom. However, when investigators exhumed her body under suspicions of foul play, they discovered a shocking secret: five bullets were lodged in her head. The mystery all unravels in a rather unexpected location: the affluent and quiet community of Carmel Country Club in Pilar, Buenos Aires.

García Belsunce was a sociologist who came from high society, and as such, lived in a wealthy area. The Carmel Country Club was an exclusive and gated community in the outskirts of Buenos Aires. People often referred to the region as "the countries." (A country is a gated community.) The countries were known to be quiet,...

On Oct. 27, 2002, Argentinian socialite María Marta García Belsunce was found dead in her home in the gated community of Carmel in Pilar. Or, so the story goes. Reminiscent of The Staircase, Netflix's Carmel: Who Killed Maria Marta? takes a deep dive into the mysteries that plague her death. García Belsunce's husband Carlos Carrascosa initially reported her death as an accident. Everyone went along with his word - that is, until the district attorney requested to exhume her body soon after she was interred. The autopsy found five bullets in García Belsunce's head. Immediately, it was clear that the case was now a matter of foul play. But one question remains looming to this day: Who killed María Marta García Belsunce?

Who Was the Primary Suspect?

Carrascosa was the primary suspect in the case. The night he purportedly found her body, he had come back from watching a soccer match with his family.

Ld Entertainment’s Mickey Liddell, Pete Shilaimon among producers.

STXfilms has acquired comedy script The Miserable Adventures Of Burt Squire Aboard The Horn High Yo with Harrison Ford and Ed Helms attached to star.

Ben Bolea wrote the screenplay inspired by a true story about a family man in the middle of a midlife crisis who embarks on a dream sailing vacation, only to end up shipwrecked in the Atlantic with an unhinged sea captain.

Ld Entertainment’s Mickey Liddell and Pete Shilaimon are producing the film alongside Kim Zubick, with Helms and Mike Falbo through their Pacific Electric Picture Co.