HBO Max has shared the first full trailer for The Staircase, the upcoming limited series that focuses on novelist Michael Peterson, the suspicious death of his wife Kathleen, and the true-crime sensation that followed.
The Antonio Campos-directed miniseries follows Michael Peterson (Colin Firth), a crime writer who’s convicted of murdering his wife Kathleen (Toni Collette) by allegedly throwing her down the staircase of their home.
The film follows Michael’s lengthy court battles (including defending himself in court and the infamous “Owl Theory”), the impact Kathleen’s death has on the Peterson family, and a French film crew making a docuseries — also titled The Staircase — about what really happened.
The Staircase also stars Michael Stuhlbarg, Juliette Binoche, Parker Posey, Dane DeHaan, Olivia DeJonge, Rosemarie DeWitt, Tim Guinee, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Sophie Turner. The limited series premieres May 5 on the streaming service with three episodes, with subsequent episodes airing weekly through June 9.