In 2001, a mysterious incident shocked the inhabitants of North Carolina – and then the rest of the world. A novelist called the police to say his wife had fallen down a staircase to her death, and if you are a fan of true-crime docuseries and movies, you’ll know there’s a lot more going on behind his story. This is what HBO Max’s new limited seriesThe Staircasewill chronicle – the investigation, surprising trial, and indictment of Michael Peterson, who is played by Academy Award winnerColin Firth.
The wife, Kathleen Peterson, is played by Emmy winnerToni Collette, and one of the first-look images reveals the onscreen couple in a warm embrace. As Collette’s character’s fate is the central point of the story, we are yet to discover if the Academy Award nominee will be featured in flashbacks, or if the narrative will play around with the timeline in order to have the actor in all eight episodes.
The first-look images also reveal the Petersons’ extended family, who were also important players in the trial as they knew about Peterson’s relationship with his first wife, which was eventually factored in the novelist’s conviction. The participation of the family may also suggest thatThe Staircasewill tackle the ways that relatives have to cope with a murder investigation going on with someone close who they thought they knew. Talk about awkward Thanksgiving and Christmas reunions.
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This isn’t the first time that Michael Peterson’s story has been told. A Netflix series also titledThe Staircasedocumented the trial of Peterson and the details uncovered by the prosecution all the way through his conviction. The high-profile story has also inspired episodes of TV series likeCold CaseandTrial and Error, as well as true-crime shows likeDatelineandAmerican Justice.
The Staircaseis written by showrunnersAntonio Campos(Afterschool) andMaggie Cohn(Narcos: Mexico). Campos also directs most episodes of the series, extending his experience with crime-related stories: he helmed episodes of Netflix’sThe PunisherandThe Sinner. Campos also directedThe Devil All the Time, a movie starringTom HollandandRobert Pattinson.
Aside from Firth and Collette,The Staircasecast also featuresMichael Stuhlbarg(A Serious Man),Juliette Binoche(Clouds of Sils Maria),Dane DeHaan(The Amazing Spider-Man 2),Olivia DeJonge(The Visit),Rosemarie DeWitt(Little Fires Everywhere),Tim Guinee(Inventing Anna),Patrick Schwarzenegger(Midnight Sun),Sophie Turner(Game of Thrones),Vincent Vermignon(Luther),Odessa Young(The Stand), andParker Posey(Lost in Space).
HBO Max premieresThe Staircasethis spring. A specific date has yet to be announced by the streamer.
