In 2022, Netflix and showrunner Ryan Murphy released Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story to mixed reviews and huge controversy .
While the show received praise from some critics for its performances (Evan Peters won a Golden Globe and Niece Nash an Emmy for his performance) and its unflinching portrayal of Dahmer’s horrific crimes, Others felt that the show went too far in humanizing the monsters at its core.
Now, Murphy is ready to stir up controversy again, this time with the story of Eric and Lyle Menendez.
The Menendez brothers are more sympathetic than Dahmer, but the fact remains that they committed two brutal murders that the show will likely depict in graphic detail.
Their murder trial became a national sensation when it aired on Court TV in 1993, but it may be the first time our young readers are hearing Menendez’s name.
So, here’s an overview of what you can expect from the show that’s sure to get a lot of attention on social media.
Monsters: Eric and Lyle Menendez storyline (spoilers too!)
On August 20, 1989, Jose and Kitty Menendez were standing in the study of their Beverly Hills mansion when their sons, Lyle and Eric, walked into the room holding shotguns.
The brothers shot their father six times and their mother ten times, killing both parents.
Eric and Lyle waited for the police to arrive and explained that the killing occurred while watching the movie “Batman” at a local movie theater.
Not only were the brothers not arrested, police did not even test them for gun residue to determine whether they had fired their weapons recently.
Over the next few months, Eric and Lyle lived a lavish lifestyle off their late parents’ money, spending $700,000 on lavish luxury items.
It was not until December 1992 that the police arrested the brothers on murder charges.
The ensuing trial caused a national sensation as lawyers claimed that Lyle and Eric had suffered such severe abuse at the hands of their parents that they had no choice but to take extreme action.
Now, Ryan Murphy is planning to reopen the case.
The producers have kept most of the plot details under wraps, but you can bet that, like Dahmer, Menendez’s saga will focus on the brothers’ crimes, trial and subsequent time behind bars.
The brothers have been appealing the case for more than three decades, and recent developments have given them renewed hope for freedom and may add some interesting new content to the series.
Monsters: The Eric and Lyle Menendez Story Cast
Relatively unknown Cooper Koch and Nicolás Alexander Chavez will play Lyle and Eric.
They’re joined by some well-known veterans, including Javier Bardem as Jose Menendez, and Murphy favorite Chloe Sevigny Plays Kitty Menendez.
Nathan Lane will play famed journalist Dominic Dunne, who covered the Menendez trial for Vanity Fair.
Ari Graynor will play Leslie Abramson, the head of the brothers’ defense team.
Dallas Roberts will play Dr. Jerome Ozier, an eccentric therapist who Eric begins seeing after his parents are murdered.
“American Horror Story” regular Leslie Grossman will play Judalon Smith, Oziel’s former patient and love interest who finds herself embroiled in the Menendez case.
Needless to say, Murphy and company didn’t cut any corners in the casting department.
Monsters: Eric and Lyle Menendez storyline
At this time, the order of the episodes has not been revealed, but Menendez’s saga will likely be told in ten parts, like Dahmer’s story.
The brothers committed far fewer crimes than Dahmer, but their family’s backstory and decades of incarceration and appeals should make for a compelling ten-hour story.
Monsters: The Eric and Lyle Menendez Story Trailer
Netflix has yet to release an official trailer for Monsters: The Eric and Lyle Menendez Story , but the streaming have Two interesting first looks have been released.
First, they gave us a trailer that highlights the 911 call the brothers made after murdering their parents:
Needless to say, it sounds like this show isn’t for the faint of heart, but that won’t be surprising to fans of Murphy’s earlier crime sagas (or his American Horror Story anthology series).
A few months later, on August 20, the 35th anniversary of the killings, the streaming giant released another trailer.
This information isn’t much more informative, but it’s just as creepy.
We see two silhouetted figures – presumably Eric and Lyle – walking through the double doors of a luxurious estate and firing shotguns.
Monster: Eric and Lyle Menendez release date
For months, Netflix has only confirmed that the show will be available sometime in 2024.
Now we know it will be released on September 19th.
It is believed that the entire season will be released on the same day, but this has not yet been confirmed.
Where to watch Monster: The Eric and Lyle Menendez Story
As you may have guessed by now, Monsters: The Eric and Lyle Menendez Story will be streaming exclusively on Netflix.
We will continue to update this article as new information emerges, so stay tuned to this space for all the news on this highly anticipated new series.
True crime addicts, what do you think? Are you as excited about Menendez’s story as Dahmer’s?
Hit the comments section below to share your thoughts!
