Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story – Release date, cast, true story, trailer
The series marks the second instalment in Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan's true crime anthology series.
Following on from Netflix true crime series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, which became one of the most-viewed programmes in the streamer's history, creative duo Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan have since turned their attention to another harrowing tale: the 1989 murders of José and Mary Louise "Kitty" Menendez at the hands of their own sons, Lyle and Erik Menendez.
The two brothers killed their parents in their Beverly Hills home in 1989. Following an initial mistrial, the brothers were eventually handed life sentences with no chance of parole, with prosecutors arguing that the crime was motivated by a desire to inherit their father's estate.
However, the Menendez brothers have, to this day, maintained their claim that they killed their parents out of fear, arguing that they suffered many years of abuse from their father.
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story marks the second instalment in Murphy and Brennan's true crime anthology series, which "tells the stories of other monstrous figures who have impacted society".
Another drama has already been greenlit by Netflix, the focus of which has yet to be revealed.
For more information about what to expect from The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, including when you can watch it and who's in the cast, read on.
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story release date – When can I watch it?
It will premiere on Thursday 19th September on Netflix.
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story cast – Who stars?
The official cast is as follows:
- Javier Bardem (José Menendez)
- Chloë Sevigny (Mary Louise "Kitty" Menendez)
- Nicholas Alexander Chavez (Lyle Menendez)
- Cooper Koch (Erik Menendez)
- Nathan Lane (Dominick Dunne)
- Ari Graynor (Leslie Abramson)
- Leslie Grossman (Judalon Smyth)
- Dallas Roberts (Dr Jerome Oziel)
- Paul Adelstein (David Conn)
- Jason Butler Harner (Detective Les Zoeller)
- Enrique Murciano (Carlos Baralt)
- Michael Gladis (Tim Rutten)
- Drew Powell (Det. Tom Linehan)
- Charlie Hall (Craig Cignarelli)
- Gil Ozeri (Dr William Vicary)
- Jeff Perry (Peter Hoffman)
- Tessa Auberjonois (Dr Laurel Oziel)
- Tanner Stine (Perry Berman)
- Larry Clarke (Brian Andersen)
- Jade Pettyjohn (Jamie Pisarcik)
- Marlene Forte (Marta Cano)
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story true story – What's it about?
The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story charts the true story of the eponymous brothers, who were convicted in 1996 for murdering their parents José and Mary Louise "Kitty" Menendez in their Beverly Hills home, back in 1989.
"While the prosecution argued they were seeking to inherit their family fortune, the brothers claimed – and remain adamant to this day, as they serve life sentences without the possibility of parole – that their actions stemmed out of fear from a lifetime of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse at the hands of their parents," reads the official synopsis.
The drama "dives into the historic case that took the world by storm, paved the way for audiences' modern-day fascination with true crime, and in return asks those audiences: Who are the real monsters?"
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story trailer – Can I watch it?
Yes, you can watch the chilling trailer below.
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story will premiere on Thursday 19th September on Netflix – sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
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Authors
Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor for Radio Times, covering TV drama and comedy titles. She previously worked at Digital Spy as a TV writer, and as a content writer at Mumsnet. She possesses a postgraduate diploma and a degree in English Studies.
