Netflix has released the first teaser trailer for Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, the fourth season of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s hit true crime anthology series Monster. Starring Ella Beatty as Lizzie Borden, the new season brings one of America’s most notorious unsolved murder cases to the screen this September. You can watch the teaser trailer for Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story in the embed above.
The eight-episode limited series premieres on Netflix on September 17, 2026, just in time for the Halloween season.
The teaser gives viewers a look at Beatty as Lizzie Borden, who was accused of murdering her father, Andrew Borden, and stepmother, Abby Borden, with an axe in their Massachusetts home in 1892. While Borden was ultimately acquitted of the murders, the shocking case became one of the most infamous crimes in American history. More than a century later, the question of whether Lizzie Borden actually committed the murders remains a subject of fascination. Netflix’s Monster is putting its own spin on that mystery.
The official synopsis for Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story reads:
“When the repressed daughter of a wealthy New England family and her rebellious maid find themselves trapped in a house built on humiliation and cruelty, they escape into a fantasy of sex, power, and revenge. The gruesome unsolved murders that follow don’t just shock the world—they give birth to an icon who refuses to live imprisoned in a cage, choosing instead to forge her own legend: shocking, monstrous, and gloriously free.”
Ella Beatty leads Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story as Lizzie Borden. Beatty has previously appeared in Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, and she has spoken about her personal fascination with Borden’s story. She previously told Netflix’s Tudum that she was excited to explore “this complicated person” and examine a crime that has become “almost mythic” in American history. The actress also highlighted the season’s focus on female rage and repression.
This makes Lizzie Borden Story a change for the Monster anthology. Previous seasons have focused on Jeffrey Dahmer, Lyle and Erik Menendez, and Ed Gein. Lizzie Borden becomes the first female subject to headline the anthology.
Beatty is joined by an impressive ensemble cast. Phantom Thread star Vicky Krieps plays Borden family maid Bridget Sullivan, while Godzilla vs. Kong star Rebecca Hall portrays Lizzie’s stepmother, Abby Borden. Charlie Hunnam plays Lizzie’s father, Andrew Borden, while Billie Lourd portrays her older sister, Emma Borden.
The cast also includes Jessica Barden as Nance O’Neill, a stage actress whose close friendship with Lizzie creates tension between Lizzie and Emma, and Joey Pollari as Lizzie’s uncle, John Morse. Sarah Paulson is also part of the season’s cast, portraying serial killer Aileen Wuornos.
Max Winkler directs episodes 401, 402, 403, 405, 407, and 408 of the new season, while Sarah Adina Smith directs episodes 404 and 406. Winkler previously directed several episodes of American Horror Story and is married to Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story star Jessica Barden.
The series comes from Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, who created the Monster anthology for Netflix.
Lizzie Borden became one of America’s most famous alleged murderers after her father and stepmother were found brutally murdered at the Borden family home in Fall River, Massachusetts, on August 4, 1892. Borden was accused of killing both with an axe. Her subsequent trial attracted enormous public attention, but she was acquitted in 1893. Despite the verdict, the case has never disappeared from popular culture.
Borden’s story has previously been adapted for television and film, including the 2014 Lifetime movie Lizzie Borden Took an Ax, starring Christina Ricci; the 2015 limited series The Lizzie Borden Chronicles; and the 2018 feature film Lizzie, starring Chloë Sevigny and Kristen Stewart.
Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story premieres on Netflix on September 17, 2026. The eight-episode limited series will continue Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s Monster anthology while turning its attention to one of America’s most enduring murder mysteries.
Are you looking forward to Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story? What do you think of the teaser trailer? Let us know in the comments.