True crime dramas are perhaps at their most popular, with TV series and features releasing details different crimes, such as Netflix’s The Tinder Swindler. This Spring, however, comes an all-new story starring two of Hollywood’s best. 

Colin Firth and Toni Collette in The Staircase / Picture Credit: Sky

Colin Firth and Toni Collette in The Staircase / Picture Credit: Sky

Colin Firth (Kingsman franchise) and Toni Collette (Knives Out) star together in this upcoming drama as Michael Peterson and his second wife, Kathleen, respectively. 

The Staircase is based on the real-life case of Mr. Peterson, who, in 2003, was convicted of killing his second wife, Kathleen Peterson, on December 9th, 2001. 

After eight whole years, Peterson was granted a new trial after the judge ruled a critical prosecution witness gave misleading testimony. 

The eight-episode limited series is co-produced by Annapurna Television, and is written and executive produced by showrunners Antonio Campos (The Devil All The Time, Christine) and Maggie Cohn (Versace). 

As well as being showrunner, Campos also directs six episodes of the show. 

With the series being based on a true story, The Staircase aims to explore the life of Michael Peterson, his family in North Carolina, and the odd, intriguing death of his second wife, Kathleen.  

Starring alongside Firth and Collette are Michael Stuhlbarg (Your Honor), Juliette Binoche (Chocolat), Dane DeHaan (ZeroZeroZero), Olivia DeJonge (Elvis), Rosemarie DeWitt (Little Fires Everywhere), Tim Guinee (Inventing Anna), Patrick Schwarzenegger (Moxie), and Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones).

The cast also includes Vincent Vermignon (Romy and Michele's High School Reunion), Odessa Young (Shirley), and Parker Posey (Lost in Space). 

The Staircase will be available on all Sky markets later this year (2022). 

Despite not too much information on this show being released, The Staircase sounds like a brilliant true-crime series. 

Personally, I hadn’t heard of Michael Peterson until news of this show came through, and I’m interested to learn whether or not the accusations against him are true or otherwise. 

The cast also seems brilliant; I’m sure Firth and Collette will work wonderfully together, and the extended cast has some familiar and popular faces, such as Sophie Turner, which gives the show a sense of excitement. 

Written by Melissa, who you can follow on Twitter @melissajournal

MORE: Hard Cell trailer: See Catherine Tate take on a flurry of roles in new Netflix mockumentary

Tagged in