Netflix’s hit Monster anthology series is back for another chilling season — and this time, the infamous Lizzie Borden takes center stage. Titled Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, Season 4 promises to unravel one of America’s most enduring true-crime mysteries, featuring Ella Beatty in the lead role and Charlie Hunnam returning to the anthology in a completely new character.
With filming now underway in Los Angeles and a gripping new cast lineup, Monster Season 4 looks set to continue the franchise’s reputation for blending historical horror with psychological depth. Here’s everything you need to know about the cast, story, production, and what to expect from the next shocking chapter in Netflix’s true-crime empire.
The Monster Legacy: From Dahmer to Lizzie Borden
When Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story premiered on Netflix in 2022, it became one of the platform’s biggest hits ever. The show’s disturbing yet compelling portrayal of the serial killer’s life sparked both acclaim and controversy, with critics praising its performances and viewers devouring its gritty realism.
Following that success, creators Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan turned the anthology into a franchise. Each season of Monster focuses on a different “monster” — real people whose crimes, obsessions, or notoriety left a permanent scar on history.
Season 1: Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
Season 2: Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
Season 3: Monster: The Ed Gein Story (starring Charlie Hunnam)
Season 4: Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story
Now, with its fourth installment, Monster shifts its focus from male killers to its first female central figure — and it’s a case that has haunted American folklore for over a century.
Who Was Lizzie Borden?
The story of Lizzie Borden is as legendary as it is mysterious. Born in 1860 in Fall River, Massachusetts, Lizzie was a seemingly ordinary woman from a respectable family. But in August 1892, her father Andrew Borden and stepmother Abby Borden were brutally murdered in their home — each hacked to death with an axe.
The crime shocked the nation. Suspicion quickly fell on Lizzie, who had been the only one home during the murders. Her calm demeanor, inconsistent testimony, and lack of grief made her the prime suspect.
Despite the damning circumstantial evidence, Lizzie Borden was acquitted after a sensational trial that captivated newspapers across America. Yet the question remained: Did she do it?
More than 130 years later, her story continues to fascinate — inspiring books, films, nursery rhymes, and now, Netflix’s latest Monster adaptation.
Ella Beatty Takes the Axe: A Star Is Born
In a casting choice that has already sparked excitement, Ella Beatty — daughter of Hollywood legends Annette Bening and Warren Beatty — has been chosen to portray Lizzie Borden.
This marks Beatty’s biggest role to date. Known for her striking screen presence and nuanced acting, she’s set to redefine the infamous figure beyond the caricature of the “axe-wielding woman” we know from pop culture.
According to Netflix’s Tudum, the series will explore not only the events of the murders but also Lizzie’s emotional and psychological world — her isolation, resentment, and the societal pressures of being an unmarried woman in 19th-century America.
“Ella Beatty brings a haunting vulnerability to Lizzie,” a source close to production revealed. “This version doesn’t just show the crime — it asks why such a woman might be driven to the edge.”
Charlie Hunnam Returns — This Time as the Victim
Fans of Monster: The Ed Gein Story will recognize Charlie Hunnam, who starred as the infamous “Plainfield Ghoul” in Season 3. In a fascinating twist, Hunnam returns to Season 4 — but this time, not as the killer.
He’ll play Andrew Borden, Lizzie’s stern and controlling father — the very man who met his fate in the infamous 1892 murders.
Hunnam’s return to the anthology mirrors Ryan Murphy’s fondness for recurring actors across different seasons (a hallmark of American Horror Story). His portrayal is expected to bring depth and sympathy to Andrew, who has often been depicted as a cold, miserly patriarch.
“It’s rare to see Charlie Hunnam on the other side of the axe,” joked one Netflix insider. “But this role shows his range — from monster to martyr.”
Supporting Cast: Familiar Faces and Rising Stars
Season 4’s cast list is stacked with powerful talent, adding layers of complexity to the chilling Borden family drama.
Rebecca Hall (The Night House, Vicky Cristina Barcelona) as Abby Borden, Lizzie’s stepmother and one of the victims.
Billie Lourd (American Horror Story) as Emma Borden, Lizzie’s devoted sister torn between loyalty and suspicion.
Vicky Krieps (Phantom Thread) as Bridget Sullivan, the family maid who witnessed the aftermath.
Jessica Barden (The End of the F**ing World*) as Nance O’Neill, Lizzie’s close friend and rumored lover, a relationship that may form one of the season’s emotional cores.
This lineup suggests the season won’t simply be a murder story — it’s a character study of a repressed family, societal expectations, and the claustrophobic tension of life in 1890s Massachusetts.
Behind the Scenes: Who’s Creating Season 4?
Monster Season 4 continues under the creative leadership of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, the powerhouse duo behind Netflix hits like The Watcher and Dahmer.
Directing the first episode is Max Winkler (Flower, Cruel Summer), known for his sharp visual storytelling and emotional sensitivity. His style promises to bring both gothic atmosphere and psychological realism to the period drama.
Cinematographer David Franco (from Mindhunter) is also reportedly attached, ensuring the show maintains its signature cold, meticulous visual tone that’s now synonymous with the Monster series.
Production Update: Filming Underway in Los Angeles
As of October 2025, filming for Monster Season 4 has officially begun in Los Angeles, with sets designed to replicate 1890s Massachusetts. The production team is recreating the infamous Borden family home with painstaking accuracy — down to the wallpaper patterns and furniture layouts described in historical court documents.
Early on-set photos show Ella Beatty in period costume, wielding the poise of a woman trapped between innocence and guilt. The haunting aesthetic hints at a darker, more gothic season — one that blurs the line between fact and myth.
Release Date Expectations
While Netflix hasn’t announced an official release date yet, past Monster seasons suggest a late 2026 premiere is most likely.
Given that The Ed Gein Story wrapped filming in early 2024 and premiered in early 2025, The Lizzie Borden Story should follow a similar production timeline — allowing ample time for editing, scoring, and promotional buildup.
Why Lizzie Borden? Thematic Shift in Monster
Choosing Lizzie Borden as the subject marks a turning point for the Monster series. Previous seasons focused on notorious male killers who targeted victims in gruesome, methodical ways.
But Lizzie Borden’s case is different. It’s about class, gender, and justice. Was Lizzie a cold-blooded killer or a victim of her time — oppressed, cornered, and misunderstood?
By making her the center of Season 4, Murphy and Brennan seem intent on expanding the definition of “monster.”
“The real monster,” as one early promotional tagline hints, “might not be the one holding the axe.”
This season may dive into themes of female rage, societal hypocrisy, and the power structures that trap women within patriarchal expectations. Expect psychological depth, not just shock value.
What to Expect from the Tone and Style
While each Monster season shares a thematic DNA — eerie calm, period realism, and meticulous reconstruction of real events — the Lizzie Borden installment is rumored to lean more psychological thriller than pure horror.
Expect:
Gothic New England atmosphere
Unreliable narration, keeping viewers unsure whether Lizzie is guilty or framed
Courtroom drama sequences echoing her sensational 1893 trial
Feminist subtext, exploring how women were judged differently under Victorian morality
The season is also said to include the infamous children’s rhyme:
“Lizzie Borden took an axe,
And gave her mother forty whacks.
When she saw what she had done,
She gave her father forty-one.”
However, rather than sensationalizing the rhyme, the show will reportedly deconstruct it — showing how media and gossip can distort truth and turn tragedy into folklore.
Why Fans Are Excited
After three successful seasons, fans are eager to see how the Monster series reinvents itself. Social media buzz is already growing around Ella Beatty’s casting, with many predicting it could be her breakout performance.
Charlie Hunnam’s return also adds continuity and star power. His ability to shift from a killer to a victim role shows the anthology’s unique flexibility — each season a self-contained moral experiment.
The promise of Monster’s first female lead, mixed with 19th-century aesthetics and courtroom tension, gives Season 4 a fresh edge likely to attract both true-crime enthusiasts and new viewers alike.
The Cultural Impact of Lizzie Borden — and Why Her Story Endures
Why does Lizzie Borden’s story still captivate us after more than a century? Because it exists in a gray area. Unlike Dahmer or Gein, whose guilt was unquestionable, Lizzie’s case is shrouded in uncertainty.
She was neither convicted nor exonerated in the court of public opinion. To this day, scholars debate whether she was the murderer or merely a convenient scapegoat for a misogynistic society.
By retelling her story in 2026, Netflix may be holding a mirror to modern culture — asking whether our obsession with labeling people as “monsters” has changed at all.
Final Thoughts
With Ella Beatty’s haunting debut as Lizzie Borden, Charlie Hunnam’s powerful return, and Ryan Murphy’s signature mix of horror and social commentary, Monster Season 4 is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated Netflix releases of 2026. It promises to take a historical crime and turn it into a gripping psychological exploration of guilt, gender, and the public’s hunger for scandal. Prepare for a story where truth, myth, and madness collide — because as Monster reminds us every season, the real horror often hides behind respectability.
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