Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story: Cast, Release Date, True Story & Where to Watch

Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story is now streaming on Netflix, bringing one of America's most notorious historical murder cases into the latest chapter of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan's Monster anthology. Ella Beatty takes the lead as Lizzie Borden, with Vicky Krieps, Charlie Hunnam, Rebecca Hall, Billie Lourd, Jessica Barden and Sarah Paulson also joining the cast.

Where to Watch Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story

Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story is streaming on Netflix. The series premiered on September 17, 2026, and Netflix lists the title as an eight-episode drama.

The complete season is available to stream, meaning viewers do not have to wait for weekly episodes. Netflix's official listing identifies the series as a drama with crime, horror, period-piece and historical elements.

Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story Release Date

The official release date for Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story is September 17, 2026.

The series is the fourth installment of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan's Monster anthology. Unlike a traditional weekly television rollout, Netflix released the eight-episode season for streaming as a complete season.

Full Cast: Who's In Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story?

The cast is led by Ella Beatty as Lizzie Borden, with a major supporting lineup that includes Vicky Krieps, Charlie Hunnam, Rebecca Hall, Billie Lourd, Jessica Barden and Sarah Paulson.

• Ella Beatty as Lizzie Borden The central character and historical figure at the heart of the season.
• Vicky Krieps as Bridget “Maggie” Sullivan The Bordens' live-in maid who develops a close relationship with Lizzie.
• Charlie Hunnam as Andrew Borden Lizzie's father.
• Rebecca Hall as Abby Borden Lizzie's stepmother.
• Billie Lourd as Emma Borden Lizzie's older sister.
• Jessica Barden as Nance O'Neil An actor and friend of Lizzie.
• Sarah Paulson as Aileen Wuornos A historical figure whose story connects to the season's wider exploration of female violence and legacy.

What's the Story?

Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story centers on Lizzie Borden, a young woman living in a wealthy Victorian-era Massachusetts household marked by strict expectations and family conflict.

Netflix's official synopsis describes Lizzie as trapped inside a cruel household before a new maid, Bridget “Maggie” Sullivan, enters her life. Their relationship becomes an important part of the story as Lizzie's frustrations with her family and circumstances intensify.

The historical murders ultimately become the central event of the story. The series dramatizes the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Andrew and Abby Borden and the case that made Lizzie Borden one of America's most famous accused murderers.

Is Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story Based on a True Story?

Yes, the series is based on a real historical case. Lizzie Borden was accused of killing her father, Andrew Borden, and her stepmother, Abby Borden, in Massachusetts in 1892.

Borden was eventually acquitted at trial, but the case remained one of America's most enduring murder mysteries. The combination of the brutal killings, the public trial and the unanswered questions surrounding the case helped turn Lizzie Borden into a lasting cultural figure.

However, Netflix's series is a dramatization rather than a documentary. The production uses the historical case as its foundation while creating fictionalized scenes and relationships to tell its television story.

Why Is Lizzie Borden So Famous?

Lizzie Borden became famous after being accused of killing her father and stepmother in 1892. Her trial attracted enormous attention, and her acquittal left the public with a case that never received the definitive conclusion many expected.

The story subsequently became part of American popular culture, helped in part by the famous schoolyard rhyme associated with the Borden murders. More than a century later, the case continues to inspire books, films, television series and true-crime discussions.

Monster Season 4 Explained

Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story is the fourth installment of the Monster anthology. The series previously explored Jeffrey Dahmer, Lyle and Erik Menendez, and Ed Gein.

The Lizzie Borden season also marks the anthology's first central female historical figure. Netflix Tudum has described the season as an exploration of Lizzie's circumstances and the broader question of what can drive women toward violence.

Sarah Paulson's appearance as Aileen Wuornos expands that theme beyond the 1892 Borden case, connecting Lizzie's historical legacy to another notorious female criminal figure.

Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story Episodes

Netflix lists eight episodes for the season. The first episode is titled “Bloodbath” and runs for 54 minutes, while Episode 2, “Strong Kitty,” runs for 53 minutes.

The complete eight-episode season is available on Netflix from September 17, 2026.

Is Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story Worth Watching?

The series is aimed squarely at viewers who enjoy historical crime dramas, psychological horror and Ryan Murphy's stylized approach to real-world criminal cases.

It is also worth approaching the series as a dramatization rather than a literal reconstruction of the historical record. Netflix's own Tudum coverage describes the show's version of Lizzie as a fictionalized interpretation built from the real case and its surrounding source material.

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