From Netflix to Tarantino, there’s a lot on the horizon to satisfy your true crime cravings.
The true crime boom we’re currently experiencing is showing no signs of slowing down. From fictional films based on true stories to comprehensive documentaries, there’s plenty of content out there to keep the armchair detective in all of us preoccupied. But if all of that isn’t enough, below are 16 upcoming shows and films that all true crime junkies should have on their radar.
White Boy and White Boy Rick
Who doesn’t love a good “based on a true story” film? As we all know, sometimes real life can be more intriguing than fiction, and this is especially true when notorious criminals are involved. One such stranger than fiction case is that of Richard Wershe Jr., or as audiences will soon know him: White Boy Rick. The film chronicles the life of Wershe, a Detroit man who was recruited as an FBI informant at age 14. After he was dropped by his handlers, he was arrested for drug possession and sentenced to life in prison — at only 17 years old. White Boy Rick is set for release on September 14th and stars newcomer Richie Merritt as Wershe and Matthew McConaughey as his father.
Ahead of that film’s release, there is also the documentary White Boy from director Shawn Rech, that explores Wershe’s story and contextualizes it in Detroit’s history of corruption. The film will be released on VOD on May 29th, and you can see the trailer for it below.
Charlie Says and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
There are also two upcoming films about Charles Manson, but they each approach the story from a different perspective. After a few years working on TV shows such as Alias Grace, director Mary Harron (American Psycho) is returning to the big screen with Charlie Says. The film will star Merritt Wever as criminology professor and author Karlene Faith, who met with female followers of Manson during their prison sentences. Manson will be portrayed by Doctor Who‘s Matt Smith, though the character will likely only appear in flashbacks as the women recount their time in the cult.
Quentin Tarantino also has his sights set on Manson. His upcoming film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood follows a fictional TV actor portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio as he navigates the Hollywood scene in the late 1960s. This will be set against the backdrop of the 1969 murder spree committed by Manson’s followers. The film co-stars Brad Pitt as DiCaprio’s character’s stuntman and Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate. Burt Reynolds, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Kurt Russell have also recently been added to the cast. Tarantino applied his signature delicate touch to the choice of release dates, so the film is set for August 9, 2019 — the 50th anniversary of Tate’s death.
The Staircase
If Tarantino’s stylized and partially fictional take on true crime isn’t quite your speed, there are also plenty of upcoming documentaries to bring out your inner sleuth. On June 8th, Netflix will release three new episodes of The Staircase, a 2004 miniseries that is still divisive among viewers who question if author Michael Peterson murdered his wife. The new episodes document what has happened in the case since the original series was released. Netflix will also make the older episodes available at this time so everyone can catch up on the events of the case.
I Am a Killer
Also coming to Netflix is an A+E UK co-production with Sky Vision called I Am a Killer. The 10 episode series will first air on TV in the UK and later be released to the streaming service. Each episode will profile a prisoner who was convicted of murder and is on death row. One of the interviewees will be Miguel Martinez, a man from Texas who became the youngest person in the state to be given the death sentence when he was convicted at age 17. While most true crime shows end when a sentence is handed down, the series could be an illuminating look at what happens afterward.
Dirty John
True crime podcast fans will soon see some of their favorite podcasts get the small screen treatment. Bravo is working on a Dirty John TV series based on the podcast of the same name. The show will be a scripted drama that follows a conman who gains control of a woman’s life with devastating consequences for herself and her family. Oxygen is set to release an unscripted companion series that explores the true story of the case. The two should likely pair well with each other for those looking to explore every side of this fascinating story.
The Case Against Adnan Syed
HBO is working on a four-part documentary titled The Case Against Adnan Syed from West of Memphis director Amy Berg. The case involving Syed was explored on the first season of the popular podcast Serial, which questioned if he was indeed guilty of the murder of his ex-girlfriend, a crime he was convicted of in 2000.
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark
HBO has also picked up the true crime book “I’ll Be Gone In The Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer” for a TV series. The book was written by Michelle McNamara and published posthumously earlier this year. Though McNamara tragically passed away in 2016, her work brought renewed interest to the case of the “Golden State Killer,” a serial killer who committed at least a dozen murders and over 50 rapes across the state of California in the 1970s and 1980s. In April, officials in Sacramento announced that they had apprehended the “Golden State Killer” after successfully tracing his DNA through a genealogy website. The series will be directed by Liz Garbus, who is also directing Lost Girls. There’s no word yet on when the series will premiere, but if it’s half as gripping as McNamara’s novel was, it’ll surely be can’t miss TV.
The post A True Crime Junkie’s Guide to Upcoming Movie and TV Projects appeared first on Film School Rejects.
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