"The Staircase" Deconstructs the True-Crime Genre By Ellie Hutchings The subsequent disappearance leaves locals baffled as to the fate of the wayward pair. But we dont know what the night after his release was like. Michael confesses to Bill about his affairs, but claims that Kathleen knew all of it. Heres what you need to know about the ending of The Staircase. The Staircase is an American biographical drama streaming television miniseries created by Antonio Campos, based on the 2004 true crime docuseries of the same name created by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade. Peterson was released from prison February 24, 2017. A local lighting and sound business provided energy-efficient LED lights. He says Campos even spent a few days with his Staircase crew while they filmed additional episodes in 2011. 750, This story has been shared 608 times. The Staircase | Now Streaming | HBO Max Originals Let us now take you to the specific locations where the series was filmed. The HBO Max series depicts the many ways Kathleen could have died, and the production team built three versions of the stairs: covered in blood, as it appears in crime scene photos; pristine, as it existed before Kathleens death; and covered in padding and green-screen fabric, for VFX and stunts. We also know that Peterson and Sophie Brunet did end their relationship after 13 years. The NYC premiere of the HBO Max show was held earlier this week at the Museum of Modern Art in Midtown Manhattan and saw pregnant Sophie Turner walk the red carpet alongside her husband Joe Jonas. Peterson's official release came in 2017 after he entered an Alford plea, which allowed him to plead guiltywhile maintaining his innocence. On HBO Max Filming 'Love & Death'and Elizabeth Olsenin My House Download. In 2017 hes almost completely alone, Sophies quiet companionship a shadow of the many times weve seen Kathleen (Toni Collette) occupy the same role. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. The Staircase - Wikipedia Just watched the first HBO episodes, I find the docuseries to be much more entertaining, even great actors can't make this show exciting. 99+ Photos Biography Crime Drama Tells the story of Michael Peterson, a crime novelist accused of killing his wife Kathleen after she is found dead at the bottom of a staircase in their home, and the 16-year judicial battle that followed. Because were the ones telling you what youre going to be fed and how youre going to perceive it, just even in our editorial process., In his review of the HBO Max series, Vanity Fairs chief critic Richard Lawson wrote that the new series willingness to question and doubtand to guide its audience into this mode of investigation and introspectionelevates The Staircase above many of its based-on-a-real-case television brethren., The tricky part, though, is the license the show allegedly takes to achieve that goal. All rights reserved. Earlier in the week, de Lestrade was still grappling with the amount of access he gave the filmmaker, and the result of it. On Dec. 9, 2001, emergency workers found 48-year-old business executive Kathleen Peterson dead at the bottom of a staircase in her Durham, North Carolina, home. Despite Peterson's real-life family home - situated in North Carolina - being used in a previous Netflix documentary, the original home was NOT used for this TV series. Brunet edited all of themthe final three she says she edited after she and Peterson broke up. In 2003, a jury found Michael Peterson guilty of murder after a three-month trial, and he received a sentence of life in prison. In the series, crime novelist Michael is accused of killing his wife Kathleen after she is found dead at the bottom of a staircase in their home and the 16-year judicial battle that followed. For this plea, the judge sentenced Peterson to 86 months in prison time that he had already served. Who is on Loose Women today? Thanks to its favorable position by the Chattahoochee River, warm climate, and a remarkable confluence of cultures owing to its complex history, Atlanta has been a place of cultural endeavors. Michael hires defense attorney David Rudolf to represent him in court. Season 3 of the darkly funny BBC2 comedy has landed, and viewers are asking if more will follow. In the HBO series, the filming of the documentary is also portrayed, though de Lestrade isn't too happy with the mini-series. While the episodes occasionally grind too slowly, Colin Firth's riveting work as the hard-to-read suspect elevates this HBO Max limited series several steps above standard true-crime fare. 'The Staircase' Ending: 'We Can't Really See the Truth' Says Star Patrick Schwarzenegger and Dane DeHaan play Todd and Clayton Peterson, Michael's real-life sons from his first marriage to Patricia Peterson. The series stars Colin Firth as Michael Peterson, a writer convicted of murdering his wife Kathleen Peterson (Toni Collette), who was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in their home. Want to see for yourself how productions like The Staircase use the states resources to their advantage? 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. ' When the past version of Jean-Xavier asks him if he killed Kathleen, Michaels eyes harden. 'The Staircase' review: Colin Firth stars in an HBO Max series that The AFI Life Achievement recipient discusses her most memorable filmsand what moviegoers actually misremember. 2023 Georgia Department of Economic Development. "It's very different from the suave Colin we know and love.". Sophie told Elle UK, "I was completely obsessed with the [2018 Netflix] documentary and binged it Because it's a real woman's family, there is that intrigue and excitement, but it's also quite harrowing to be a part of. The house was bought by Jason Balius, the former co-owner of the Mad Hatter Bakeshop in Durham. I understand if you dramatize. Almost all of 'The Staircase' was filmed in and around Atlanta, Georgia's vast and populous capital city. Abundant Stage Space and Crew - Since the tax incentive was enacted in 2008, stage presence has exploded, and thousands of film industry workers have relocated to the state to take part in some of the largest productions being filmed outside of Hollywood, including the award-winning Netflix series Stranger Things and blockbuster hits like Avengers: End Game.. 1,304, This story has been shared 1,106 times. Due to these reasons, Georgia has established itself as one of the global centers of moviemaking business. [20][21], The miniseries premiered on May 5, 2022 with the first 3 episodes on HBO Max.[1]. Prosecutors had Ratliff's body exhumed, and pathologist Deborah Radisch performed an autopsy in North Carolina (Radisch also conducted Kathleen's autopsy). For example, a true-crime HBO Max seriesis slated to begin filming in metro Atlanta. With Catastrophe now available to watch on Netflix, TV writer Emily Stedman gives her reasons as to why viewers - particularly parents - should watch the show. GoodTo is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. It was filmed at Parc Retirement Community at Duluth, near Atlanta, Fox 5 reports. Production was also able to partner with family-owned, Tucker, Georgia-based Cofer Bros. Inc. for set building materials, which were donated after use to organizations that work to repurpose and keep building materials out of landfills. The Staircase (miniseries) - Wikipedia It's also barely justifies its existence. The doc is very tight and you dont really get a sense of the flow of the house, he said. The stars on today's panel, Catastrophe just landed on Netflix - Here's five reasons why parents SHOULD watch it, First-look of Disney's The Little Mermaid Ariel and Eric's relationship in the upcoming live-action movie, Is Janice Dickinson married and does she have children? 'The Staircase' Documentary Filmmakers 'Betrayed' By Show - UPROXX I get that whoever is doing a documentary has a perspective, says Rudolf. I asked them, Where do you think I should start? On July 19, 2021, it was announced that Leigh Janiak is set to direct two episodes of the series. The original point of Jean-Xavier de Lestrade was to examine the complexity of the American legal system. And there's a lot of couples formed like there are in our film.". By . Atlanta, Georgia, USA 9 of 11 found this interesting Interesting? Not that it should be but at least a docuseries is the actual people. However, the staircase where Kathleen Peterson died can be seen in The Handmaids Tale as there is a scene filmed on the back staircase. Instead, the show was filmed in its entirety in Georgia. De Lestrade is credited on the series as a co-executive-producer, but says that the title was nominal only; he was paid for the project, but says he entrusted Campos with all creative decisions. Other shows and movies are being filmed for TLC, Nickelodeon, Warner Bros., Netflix, Fox, CBS, BET, VH1, Disney + and other networks. Although the story almost exclusively unravels in North Carolina, the crew chose to film the series in Atlanta due to possible logistical reasons. Although the story almost exclusively unravels in North Carolina, logistical reasons meant that film crews chose to film in Atlanta. The DA exhumes Elizabeth's body with the sisters' permission which they gave reluctantly, believing that it might help Michael's case. 1,106, This story has been shared 1,018 times. The cast, the always phenomenal Toni Collette and exceptional Colin Firth are excellent. After eight weeks of exploring almost every inch of the Michael Peterson case, famously known as The Staircase, the eight-part series on HBO Max of the same name has come to an end. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. HBO Max, which was also speaking for Cohn, declined to comment. Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. The official HBO Max podcast hosted by Nancy Miller (HBOs Ill Be Gone in the Dark Podcast). When Georgians watch Queen Bees, they might notice a few familiar places. The original documentary team in particular criticised the series for misrepresenting the relationship between Sophie Brunet and Peterson, for suggesting that the team made editorial choices in order to portray Peterson in a more sympathetic way, and for falsely attributing work done by producer Allyson Luchak to Denis Poncet instead. [3] Upon the series order announcement, Campos said: This has been a project I have been working on in one way or another since 2008. However, the nature of her injuries causes local law enforcement to believe that Michael might have been involved in her death, leading to him being charged for her murder. But I did find it surprising, in 2022, that so much of a female producers work would be attributed to the character of an older white man, says Luchak. With the filming of "The Staircase," services from local small business vendors were used to create a more sustainable production. It's the crime docu-series that has got everyone talking, nowfans want to know more. Creator Antonio Campos Stars Colin Firth Toni Collette Michael Stuhlbarg (Years later, de Lestrade filmed an additional five episodes of The Staircase. The series plays with viewers expectations of that part of the house, even showing Kathleens daughter tripping as she climbs it in the pilot episode. With Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Juliette Binoche, Sophie Turner, and Dane Dehaan, the story is cerebral, as it looks through the fabric of a picture-perfect family. Michael's sex life became public during the trial. But to now understand my work was erased so that a totally fictional account of how The Staircase was made could be dramatized is mind-boggling. The state Department of Economic Development keeps a running list of the shows in production or preppingin Georgia. Tells the story of Michael Peterson, a crime novelist accused of killing his wife Kathleen after she is found dead at the bottom of a staircase in their home, and the 16-year judicial battle Read allTells the story of Michael Peterson, a crime novelist accused of killing his wife Kathleen after she is found dead at the bottom of a staircase in their home, and the 16-year judicial battle that followed.Tells the story of Michael Peterson, a crime novelist accused of killing his wife Kathleen after she is found dead at the bottom of a staircase in their home, and the 16-year judicial battle that followed. A TikTok star has shared this hack for cleaning a casserole dish - and all you need is water and baking soda. As the production designer of The Staircase, HBO Maxs adaptation of the seminal true-crime docuseries, Michael Shaw had immense challenges in front of him, chief among them the series namesake. It tells the story of American novelist Michael Peterson, his sprawling. HBO Max's 'Love & Death' Needed a Home for an Axe Killer. The original Staircase team worries that audiences seeing the fictionalized show will assume that the filmmaker story line is entirely accurate, especially given that the series does not open with a title card clarifying that HBO Maxs show is merely inspired by the original documentary. The runway sensation, 42, rocked a pair of skintight black . The Staircase, a new true crime series starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette, brings to TV the murder trial of Michael Peterson. The Verdict Is In: True Crime Miniseries "The Staircase - Georgia Everything We Know About HBO Max's The Staircase - Looper It's the crime docu-series that has got everyone talking, nowfans are wondering where is The Staircase filmed? Why AI Has Some Viewers Asking Which Film Actors Are Real. The Staircase documentary > HBO Series : r/TheStaircase - Reddit Despite Peterson's real-life family home - situated in North Carolina - being used in a previous Netflix documentary, the original home was NOT used for this TV series. But in our show, you do. We were able to get into the house with our location manager and part of our art department and measure it exactly, Cohn said. At the end of episode 3 of HBO Max's The Staircase, we learn a bit more about Elizabeth "Liz" Ratliff's death. If we believe Peterson really is innocent, then this is a story about how a gross miscarriage of justice was laboriously righted. The homes exterior was scouted in Atlanta, and from there, Shaw said he focused on balancing the realistic and artistic interpretations of what goes on inside. The HBO series, a dramatization of the famous 2004 documentary, makes tantalizing equivalences between the filmmaking process and the justice system. Is 'Are You There God? In it, several scenes suggest that the eight original Staircase episodes were edited by Brunet (Juliette Binoche)the real-life Staircase editor who opened her home to HBO Maxs production when they were shooting in Pariswhile she was entangled in a romantic relationship with Peterson. Brunet, an acclaimed French filmmaker, says HBO Maxs adaptation doesnt accurately represent her 13-year relationship with accused murderer Michael Peterson. In 2001, French filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade and producer Denis Poncet began working on their next documentary when they encounter news about Michael's case. There are certain stories that seem destined to haunt the American consciousness, andThe Staircase is one of them. Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. 'The Staircase': How to watch the gripping true-crime - oregonlive Partnerships with Small Businesses - Film companies use the services of businesses around the state, contributing to the health of Georgias economy and taking advantage of the abundant resources available to them. One company, Cinelease Studios, is looking to expand its Covington, Georgia, operations by adding eight new sound stages by 2023, for a total of 276,000 square feet of stage space. The new owner did renovations before placing it back on the market in 2007 and it had numerous owners since then. And again: I had absolutely no dog in the fight for the first eight episodes. Meanwhile, prosecutors Freda Black and Jim Hardin meet with Candace and Lori and show them Kathleen's autopsy report and pictures of gay porn that they found in Michael's office and computer, establishing a motive that Kathleen fought with Michael after finding the pictures, leading to her death. The series is a passion project for Antonio Campos, who began developing a scripted adaptation of the true crime docuseries The Staircase in 2008. [7] Rosemarie DeWitt, Juliette Binoche, and Parker Posey were added to the main cast in May 2021,[8][9][10] with Sophie Turner, Odessa Young, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Dane DeHaan, Olivia DeJonge, and Michael Stuhlbarg joining the next month. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, HBO Max is used under license. As the finale chronicles the retrial hearing and the Alford plea, it also shows two very different versions of its Peterson family. Michael Peterson, a crime novelist, is accused of killing his wife Kathleen after she is found dead at the bottom of a staircase in their home. So to have all my work being either erased as if it never happened or assigned to a male character is offensive., Luchak says she is all for dramatic license. The actual trial spanned three months in 2003, making it one of the longest trials ever in North Carolina. The production also had to find locations that could double as San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Mexico - and Georgia fit the bill. But there is a lot of evidence against him, and the HBO Max series in particular has constructed a good story about how Peterson could have killed his wife. However, more complicated than the staircase itself are the gruesome blood spatters that adorn it, the patterns and placement of which play an integral role in the legal case. The Staircase is a mini docu-series - which is slightly different from a documentary -as it is a television series that follows Michael Peterson's trial and his involvement in the murder of his wife Kathleen back in 2001. HBO Max's The Staircase limited series retells Kathleen Peterson's murder and stars Toni Collette, Colin Firth, Sophie Turner, and more. Raleigh is in neighboring Wake County. May 12, 2022 11:00am PT 'The Staircase' Went to Real-Life Peterson Home to Create Three Exact Crime Scene Replicas By Sasha Urban Courtesy of HBO Max As the production designer of " The. The True Story Behind HBO Max's The Staircase - Esquire 'The Staircase' review: An HBO series revisits the Michael Peterson [11][12][13][14][15][16] In July 2021, Tim Guinee and Vincent Vermignon joined the cast of the series. Will there be a season 4 of Guilt? First listed at $1.175 million it was reduced to $975k and ended up being sold for a snip of the asking price at $640k. Without continued access to the prosecution side, de Lestrade says the crew was very cautious during the entire edit process to be balanced., Says Luchak, Theres a responsibility to fictionalize the truth accurately, because otherwise youre adding another layer of confusion onto the case of the death of a woman. Now, a new HBO Max series revisits the case. The miniseries was released on December 27, 2022, on DVD. Georgians Will Recognize Filming Locations In This Star - iHeart Where is The Staircase filmed - what happened to Michael - GoodTo She currently looks after all things Entertainment for Goodto.com, Woman&Home, and My Imperfect Life. On their TV, Michael confesses that Kathleen never knew about his bisexuality and he lied about that detail to the filmmakers and his lawyer. Locations featured in the BBC2 thriller series, Who is on Loose Women today? The Staircase (TV Mini Series 2022) - IMDb ), Documentarians are a lot like journalists in that were trying to preserve a certain degree of integrity and ethical behavior, says Stevenson, who edited The Staircases trial footage. Edit. Wide Variety of Set Locations - Atlanta has the unique position of being known as the city within the forest. With an abundance of hidden greenspace and trees that other major cities cannot boast, Atlanta lends itself to a wide variety of shooting locations to fit the needs of productions like The Staircase, which required a Southern look for exterior shots. The Staircase: release date, trailer and everything we know | What to Watch An independent audit of the agency found that Deaver had falsely represented evidence in 34 cases. 16 Photos Horror Mystery In 1997, a young boy is out hunting with his grandfather, when he stumbles upon a mysterious staircase deep in the forest. What Really Happened During the Making of. De Lestrade has been candid about this in the past, and Peterson even wrote about the relationship in his 2019 book, Behind the Staircase. Today, over 60,000 folks call this Dallas suburb home. But all four, and Brunet herself in an email to Vanity Fair, confirm that Brunet and Peterson did not begin corresponding until after she left the documentary as planned to edit another project, 2004s Holy Lola. 2023 CNET, a Red Ventures company. There were no photos of the back staircase where Kathleen died, and a photo of the backyard showed the swimming pool to be drained. This is the only question when it comes to The Staircase on HBO Max, The Staircase docuseries, and the Kathleen Peterson case. In HBO Maxs The Staircase, this process is streamlined for understandable reasonsbut in a way that elides the careful considerations filmmakers took during all phases of production, they say. It stars Colin Firth as Michael Peterson and Toni Collette as Kathleen Peterson. Even when the 2010 memory is at its happiest, theres a note of desperation dirtying the celebratory scene. Michael Peterson sold his house in 2004 - some 12 years after he first bought it. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Also arriving is Michael's first wife, Patricia Sue Peterson, from Germany. It also draws from books and reports on the case. As for the following ones, I think one can notice a great empathy for Michaels family in them. Because he was present during Petersons initial trial and claimed to have been a blood splatter professional who had worked 500 cases, Peterson was put under house arrest as the state sorted out the Deaver case. We Found The 'Kendall Jenner Starting 5' T-Shirt From 'The Kardashians' Trailer. "[23] Meanwhile, Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 80 out of 100 based on 29 critics, indicating "generally favourable reviews". Published 26 April 23. Bath Love Island star Dani Dyer fronts new E4 documentary Dani Dyer: Is This Anxiety where she opens up on her loneliness and mental health struggles as a young mum. In the series final moments, Michael sits on the bed and stares directly into the camera. 'The Staircase' on HBO Max starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette is a wonderfully acted legal thrill ride. The website's critics consensus reads, "The Staircase doesn't hold many surprises for those already intimate with the original documentary, but this dramatization brings a fresh perspective and texture to the mysteryalong with a terrific performance by Colin Firth. And of course, Colin Firth is Michael, and Toni Collette is Kathleen on the show. Have been following this story since the original trial. They also take issue with the way the series attributes Luchaks work to another producer, the late Poncet. Those two elements symbolize what the whole story is about, Shaw said. Advertisements The extras rate is $104 for 8 hours + COVID-19 testing bumps of a quarter check rate for any testing date outside of a work date. [19], Principal photography for the series began on June 7, 2021, in Atlanta, Georgia, and was scheduled to conclude in November 2021. Georgia-lensed miniseries "The Staircase," starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette, started streaming last week on HBO Max. He maintains that his relationship with her wasnt a lie, but it also wasnt the whole truth. In a separate interview with Vanity Fair last week, Campos said, Jean invited me to their office, and basically gave me access to this big closetful of unused footage, just stacks and stacks of DVCAM tapes. In addition, Ford was no longer attached as executive producer. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Bill is tasked to explain to the family about Michael's bisexuality. "America's Sweetheart or: Time Over Time", Best Streaming Limited or Anthology Series, Best Actor in a Streaming Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, Best Actress in a Streaming Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, Best Writing in a Streaming Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, Vincent Vermignon as Jean-Xavier, the director of the original documentary, Morgan Henard as Dennis Rowe, a childhood neighbor and friend of Kathleen and Loris, eventual hookup of Michaels, Jason Davis as Fred Atwater, Kathleen's first husband and father to Caitlin, Ryan Lewis as Bruce Campbell, Lori's husband, Kevin Sizemore as Mark Zamperini, Candace's husband, Andre Martin as Yves, Jean-Xavier's boom operator, Jean-Luc McMurtry as Gaultier, Sophies assistant editor, This page was last edited on 8 April 2023, at 18:12. In 2001, Michael Peterson was accused of murdering his wife, Kathleen Peterson. The acting is excellent. Georgia features a temperate climate and a range of landscapes that look great on screen for both budding and veteran filmmakers. Almost all of The Staircase was filmed in and around Atlanta, Georgias vast and populous capital city. Filming will take place in Atlanta, GA on Tuesday, 6/8/21 with COVID-19 testing required on both Friday, 6/4/21 AND Monday, 6/7/21. The Staircase Podcastis produced by HBO Max in conjunction with Campfire Studios, in association with High Five Content.