‘Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story’ Trailer Teases a Dark Descent Into Female Rage and Myth
The AXE is back! đȘ Netflixâs new “Monster” trailer just dropped and itâs CHAOTIC.
If you thought you knew the story of Lizzie Borden, think again. Netflix just released the first teaser for Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, and itâs giving major “female rage” energy that we werenât prepared for.
Ella Beatty as Lizzie? Absolutely unhinged. And that nursery rhyme playing in the background? Chilling. This season is already being called the most intense chapter in the entire anthology, but the fan theories about who else is trapped in that house are already spiraling out of control.
Is this going to be the most controversial season yet? Watch the trailer and decide for yourself. đ
The true-crime juggernaut that is Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennanâs Monster anthology series is returning to Netflix, and this time, the target is one of American historyâs most enduring enigmas: Lizzie Borden. Following a series of acclaimedâand highly controversialâinstallments, the fourth season, titled Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, is poised to deliver a visceral exploration of the 19th-century axe murders, with a teaser trailer that suggests a departure from the docu-drama style of previous seasons.
A New Icon of “Monstrous” Freedom Released on August 11, the first teaser trailer introduces Ella Beatty (Feud: Capote vs. The Swans) as the titular Lizzie Borden. The footage is characterized by a stark, suffocating atmosphere, focusing on the psychological claustrophobia of a wealthy New England household. The narrative premise, according to official loglines, posits that Lizzie and her rebellious maid are driven to horrific violence by a life of humiliation and cruelty, eventually finding “freedom” through an act of blood-soaked rebellion.
“It has been a dream come true to investigate this complicated person’s psychology and to examine an American crime that feels almost mythic in proportion,” Beatty said in a statement. “This season gives us our first female Monster and delves into female rage and repression which I’ve found to feel strikingly relevant.”
Walking the Tightrope of Controversy The Monster franchise has always operated in the shadow of controversy. While it commands massive viewership numbers, it has consistently faced criticism for its creative liberties regarding real-life tragedies. Season 3, which focused on Ed Gein, became a lightning rod for backlash, most notably when Osgood Perkins, son of Psycho star Anthony Perkins, publicly condemned the series’ inclusion of his fatherâs struggles. Perkins characterized the showâs “Netflix-ization” of real-world pain as “playing for the wrong team,” highlighting a growing sentiment among critics that the anthology prioritizes “glamorous” content over historical or human empathy.
The upcoming Lizzie Borden season faces a slightly different challenge. Because the Borden murders have transitioned from historical fact into the realm of American folklore and urban legend, the creative team has more breathing room to explore “mythic” proportions. However, the showrunners must still balance this artistic license against a modern audience that is increasingly hyper-vigilant about the exploitation of historical trauma.
A Loaded Cast and High Expectations The production has assembled an impressive ensemble cast to support Beatty, including Vicky Krieps, Rebecca Hall, Jessica Barden, Billie Lourd, and Sarah Paulson, alongside returning series regular Charlie Hunnam. With such a high-caliber roster, the series is clearly positioning itself as a prestige drama rather than a standard slasher-thriller.
The trailer, which utilizes a nursery rhymeâa nod to the infamous schoolyard chant surrounding the 1892 murdersâseems to emphasize the “iconic” nature of the protagonist rather than the procedural details of the crime. By shifting the focus to “female rage,” the creators appear to be tapping into a cultural zeitgeist that seeks to reframe historical women labeled as “monsters” through a modern, empathetic, albeit violent, lens.
The Road to Premiere As Netflix gears up for the September 17 premiere, the streaming giant is banking on the Monster brand to continue its dominance in the competitive crime-anthology space. Whether The Lizzie Borden Story manages to avoid the PR pitfalls of its predecessors or falls deeper into the cycle of controversy remains to be seen.
For now, the trailer has succeeded in doing exactly what it was designed to do: generate conversation. In an era where streaming content is often forgotten within days of release, the Monster anthologyâs ability to remain a permanent fixture in the cultural discourseâfor better or worseâis a testament to the enduring, albeit complicated, pull of true-crime storytelling.
