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Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story first-look trailer shows off Sarah Paulson as another infamous serial killer

The trailer gives us a dark insight into what's to come in the new series.

Ella Beatty sat in a bathtub filled with blood, putting her hands on her shoulders and staring blankly ahead.

Netflix

Published: Friday, 21 August 2026 at 10:35 am

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The official trailer of Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story has now been unveiled – and not only has it revealed the kind of tone the true crime drama will have, but it has also shown us a sneak peek at an unexpected character.

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At the very end of the trailer, Sarah Paulson appears seemingly in the Borden household more closer to the present day, which operates as a modern day museum. Someone off camera, likely a tour guide, is heard saying: "No one really knows what happened that day."

To which Paulson's character responds: "Oh, I f**king know what happened." It's been revealed that Paulson plays serial killer Aileen Wuornos who shot, killed, and robbed seven of her male clients while working as a sex worker during the years of 1989 and 1990.

You can watch the trailer below.

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As fans of the Monster franchise will know, especially in regards to the previous Ed Gein series, Ryan Murphy has started showing how the "legacy" of these monsters has dripped into more recent cases. In the Gein series, we saw how his crimes influenced Hollywood and Hollywood's horror genre, with it looking as though Murphy will be set to present how Wuornos may have been left intrigued by Borden.

Wuornos was seen by many to be the world's first female serial killer, eventually being convicted for six of the murders and executed by the state of Florida in 2002.

Explaining more about the important role that Wuornos plays in the upcoming season, series star Ella Beatty told Tudum: "The show is exploring a legacy of female rage and reaction to the set of circumstances that they are presented with.

"I think there’s a connection [between Borden and Wuornos] that Ryan and Ian were interested in mapping and exploring."

Vicky Krieps and Ella Beatty sat staring at each other, with their faces close together, wearing floral crowns.

Vicky Krieps as Maggie Sullivan, Ella Beatty as Lizzie Borden in Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story. Netflix

Of course, Paulson is no stranger to Murphy's productions, having been a regular in his TV world for some time now. Not only has she starred in nine seasons of Murphy's American Horror Story, but she has also featured in plenty of other series of his including Ratched, The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story, Impeachment: American Crime Story, Feud and All's Fair.

As for Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, the newly released trailer gives us better insight into what path the show will go down in regards to the story.

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Although Borden was tried and acquitted of the 1892 axe murders of her father and stepmother, the series is certainly imagining Borden up as someone who plotted the act with her live-in maid, Bridget Sullivan (Vicky Krieps).

Bridget is seen telling Borden that they "deserve it" as we see unfair treatment unfold in the household, all against the unlikely soundtrack of Rosalía's Berghain.

With plenty of axes, blood, dancing and ornate costumes, there's definitely a lot going on in the series – whether it'll be a must-watch though is yet to be seen.

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Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story comes to Netflix on 17 September.

Add Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.

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Authors

Black and white cut-out portrait headshot of Morgan Cormack, smiling against a lime green background

Morgan CormackDrama Writer

Morgan Cormack is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering everything drama-related on TV and streaming. She previously worked at Stylist as an Entertainment Writer. Alongside her past work in content marketing and as a freelancer, she possesses a BA in English Literature.

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