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.
According to HBO, the network has teamed with director Antonio Campos to bring the story of “The Staircase” to life. The series tells the story of author Michael Peterson and the unusual circumstances involving the supposedly accidental death of his wife, Kathleen Peterson. And better yet, it’s been announced that Colin Firth has been signed on to play Michael Peterson in the series.
“This has been a project I have been working on in one way or another since 2008,” said Campos. “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.”
Sarah Aubrey, Head of Original Content, HBO Max, added, “It is a thrill to collaborate with Antonio Campos, Maggie Cohn and Annapurna Television for the exploration of this true-life story that’s rife with dramatic revelations. With the enormously talented Colin Firth at the center of this adaptation, the story of ‘The Staircase’ will continue to captivate audiences with every bizarre twist and turn.”
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As mentioned, Campos is directing the series, officially named as the helmer for 6 of the 8 episodes. He’ll co–write and co-showrun the series alongside Maggie Cohn. Campos is probably best known for his feature film work, on projects such as “Christine” and last year’s “The Devil All the Time.” He previously talked about adapting “The Staircase,” but mentioned Harrison Ford as the lead actor. Obviously, things have changed.
It’s unclear when production will begin on “The Staircase,” but with Colin Firth leading the cast and Campos behind the camera, this is easily one of our most anticipated series coming in the next couple of years.
For those not familiar with “The Staircase,” here’s the trailer for the Netflix docuseries:
