Under the Banner of Heaven: release date, cast, trailer and news
Andrew Garfield stars in this true-crime thriller coming soon to Disney Plus.
Note: contains discussion of subjects including murder that some readers may find upsetting.
Hulu/ Disney Plus series Under the Banner of Heaven has landed in the US.
The TV series is based on Jon Krakauer’s 2003 true-crime novel of the same name, and delves into the true story of Brenda Wright Lafferty (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and her baby daughter Erica, who were brutally killed in their Utah home in the 1980s.
Brenda’s brothers-in-law, Ron and Dan Lafferty, emerged as the killers, claiming they received divine instruction from God to carry out the murders.
Series creator and executive producer Dustin Lance Black (Milk), who grew up on a devout Mormon household, has said he wanted to explore the dangers of the religion and “just how patriarchal the church had been, and in many ways still was".
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Speaking to Vanity Fair ahead of the show’s premiere, he added: “And how such an absolute patriarchal structure threatens the safety of many women.”
Read on for everything you need to know about Under the Banner of Heaven on Disney Plus.
Under the Banner of Heaven release date
Under the Banner of Heaven landed in the US on Hulu on 28th April.
UK viewers will have to wait a little bit longer, with the series set to arrive on Disney Plus under the Star banner in the UK on 27th July.
Under the Banner of Heaven cast: Andrew Garfield plays Jeb Pyre
Academy Award nominee Andrew Garfield leads the cast of Under the Banner of Heaven as Detective Jeb Pyre, a devout Mormon who begins to question his own faith as he investigates events which transpired within the Lafferty family.
Normal People's Daisy Edgar-Jones plays Brenda Wright Lafferty, while her brothers-in-law Ron and Dan Lafferty are played by Sam Worthington (Avatar 2) and Wyatt Russell (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) respectively.
The cast is rounded out by Denise Gough (Andor), Billy Howle (Chloe), Gil Birmingham (Pieces of Her), Adelaide Clemens (Parade's End), Rory Culkin (Halston), Seth Numrich (Homeland), Chloe Pirrie (The Queen's Gambit) and Sandra Seacat (Enlightened).
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Is Under the Banner of Heaven a true story?
Under the Banner of Heaven is inspired by the true-crime bestseller of the same name from Jon Krakauer. While Garfield's Jeb Pyre seems to be a fictional addition to the story, the double murder the series focuses on was all too real.
In 1984, Brenda Wright Lafferty and her infant daughter Erica were murdered, with Brenda's brothers-in-law Dan and Ron later found guilty of the crime. Ron claimed that he was sent a revelation from God to kill the mother and child because of her resistance to his belief in polygamy.
The brothers had joined a religious cult known as the School of Prophets shortly before they committed the murders and Ron's wife had left him and moved to Florida with his children. Brenda had agreed with her decision, which is said to have enraged Ron.
The book also explores the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often known as the Mormon Church, and the show is similarly expected to delve into the consequences of unyielding faith.
Under the Banner of Heaven trailer
FX dropped the first trailer for Under the Banner of Heaven on 23rd February, giving us our first look at the eerie new thriller and Garfield's Detective Jeb Pyre.
The trailer closes out with Garfield's chilling line: “I wonder how something so horrific could have come to pass.”
You can watch the full trailer below:
Under the Banner of Heaven will premiere on Disney Plus. You can sign up to Disney+ for £7.99 a month or £79.90 a year now. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.
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