Top 10 Most Anticipated True Crime Releases of 2023
#10: “Firebug”
Coming off the success of the 2022 AppleTV+ crime drama “Black Bird”, writer Dennis Lehane is set to develop another series for the streamer. He’s teaming up again with British actor Taron Egerton, who starred as convicted drug dealer Jimmy Keene in “Black Bird”. The new crime drama “Firebug” will center on serial arsonist John Leonard Orr, the former firefighter and arson investigator who lit fires around California in the 1980s and 90s. Both Lehane and Egerton are executive producers, with Egerton stepping into the lead role as Orr. The series is based on events covered in Truth Media’s podcast of the same name.
#9: “The White House Plumbers”
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The infamous Watergate scandal in the 1970s is a high-profile story ripe for the Hollywood treatment. In March 2023, HBO Max will debut its new political drama “The White House Plumbers” based on Egil Krogh and Matthew Krogh’s 2007 book “Integrity: Good People, Bad Choices, and Life Lessons from the White House.” The five-episode limited series follows two of President Richard Nixon’s operatives who, despite intentions of protecting the presidency, ultimately had it overturned. Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux star as the titular “plumbers”, E. Howard Hunt and G. Gordon Liddy, respectively, leading a star-studded cast including the likes of Lena Headey, Kathleen Turner, and Judy Greer.
#8: “January 6th”
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Known for their 2002 documentary “9/11”, Jules and Gédéon Naudet will bring another story of American tragedy to Discovery+ in 2023. Titled “January 6th”, the docu-series will cover the chaos and violence from the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. It will feature firsthand accounts by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Congresswoman Liz Cheney, over 50 senators, as well as first responders and those who survived the harrowing ordeal. The Naudets were also able to gain full access to the Capitol’s and Metropolitan Police Department’s officers. The docu-series had its world premiere at the Hamptons International Film Festival in 2022 but will make its streaming debut on January 5, 2023, a day before the two-year anniversary.
#7:“Under the Bridge”
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In her 2005 best-seller “Under the Bridge”, author Rebecca Godfrey examined the shocking murder of Canadian teen Reena Virk in 1997. Virk was attacked by a group of girls, some of whom were classmates, and one boy who had no relationship to her. He and another girl would ultimately take her life. For three years, filmmaker Quinn Shephard worked with Godfrey on adapting the book into a TV series for Hulu. Production on “Under the Bridge” began in December 2022 with Riley Keough playing the author as she conducts extensive research for her book. Sadly, Godfrey passed away in October before the project was finished.
#6: “The Watcher”
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In 2018, Reeves Wiedeman of New York’s “The Cut” published an article about a New Jersey family being tormented with letters signed by someone calling themselves “The Watcher.” Awarding-winning series creator Ryan Murphy adapted the unbelievable story into a seven-episode limited series for Netflix, or so he thought. Shortly after debuting in October 2022, “The Watcher” was renewed for a second season. And since the first season deviated significantly from true events, it’s hard to say where season 2 will go with the story. Given the fan response to the unsatisfying finale, viewers definitely want some answers to their endless questions, specifically, “Who is the Watcher”?
#5: “Murdaugh Murders”
Since 2014, the prominent Murdaugh family of South Carolina has been making headlines for their ties to several crimes, including insurance fraud, embezzlement, and murder. Alex Murdaugh and other family members have allegedly been involved in the suspicious deaths of Stephen Smith, Gloria Satterfield, Mallory Beach, and Paul and Maggie Murdaugh. The saga has been the subject of multiple documentaries and podcasts, so it was only a matter of time before it was dramatized. In November 2022, it was announced that Hulu was developing a scripted series based on Mandy Matney’s popular “Murdaugh Murders” podcast. Given the strong interest surrounding the neverending case, we wouldn’t be surprised if the series was released by late 2023.
#4: “Boston Strangler”
Infamous serial killer Albert DeSalvo, aka the “Boston Strangler”, took the lives of 13 women in the early 1960s. However, there have been doubts about the killer’s true identity in the decades since. While the 1968 film starring Tony Curtis had DeSalvo at its center, Hulu’s upcoming “Boston Strangler” focuses on reporter Loretta McLaughlin, the first to break the story. Keira Knightley stars as McLaughlin with Carrie Coon as fellow reporter Jean Cole. The two women faced the sexism of the time while covering the headline-making case, keeping other women informed about the predator stalking the city. Production on the film wrapped in March 2022, putting its release date sometime in 2023.
#3: “Love and Death”
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Hulu’s 2022 series “Candy” centered around Texas housewife and accused axe murderer, Candace Montgomery. In 1980, she killed her neighbor and church friend Betty Gore with an ax, and on Friday the 13th, no less. Jessica Biel helped develop the series as both the star and executive producer. In 2023, HBO Max will release their own take on the story, “Love and Death”, starring Elizabeth Olsen in the title role and Lily Rabe as Betty. The title comes from Texas Monthly’s two-part exposé “Love & Death In Silicon Prairie” written by journalists John Bloom and Jim Atkinson, who also penned “Evidence of Love: A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs.” The series will premiere sometime in 2023.
#2: “Killers of the Flower Moon”
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From 1918 to 1931, Oklahoma had a series of unsolved murders in Osage County called the “Reign of Terror.” The victims were Native Americans of the Osage Nation, who had rights over oil-rich lands. David Grann’s 2017 book “Killers of the Flower Moon” details the investigation conducted by the nascent Federal Bureau of Investigation. Martin Scorsese has adapted the book into a film of the same name starring Leonardo DiCaprio, marking their sixth major project together. The film also stars celebrated actors including Robert De Niro and Brendan Fraser. The pair’s latest feature will premiere in May at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival and on Apple TV+ likely soon after.
#1: “Monster”
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2022 was a great year for Ryan Murphy. Through his deal with Netflix, he released two chart-topping original series within a month of each other. And while “The Watcher” was certainly a hot topic, nothing could compare to the praise and controversy of “Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.” The series debuted in September and quickly dominated the platform. It was renewed for two seasons as an anthology series covering different infamous serial killers. As of December 2022, no other details have been released. However, fans speculate season 2’s killer could be John Wayne Gacy since he was featured in “Dahmer.” Murphy’s deal with Netflix reportedly expires in July 2023, meaning there’s a chance we might get a new season sooner rather than later.
