The Staircase: Release date, cast, trailer for Sky true crime drama

By David Craig

Published: Wednesday, 04 May 2022 at 12:00 am

True crime buffs have been fascinated by the case of Michael Peterson for several years now and the conversation around his case is set to flare up once again with the launch of a new drama series.

Serving as a companion piece to the groundbreaking documentary of the same name, The Staircase stars Colin Firth as the writer and would-be politician, who became the prime suspect in his wife’s mysterious death.

Several conflicting theories about the case have been put forward by viewers and investigators, while Peterson has always insisted that he is completely innocent.

Early reviews for this dramatisation have been stellar, while the star-studded cast is also likely to draw in viewers, with Toni Collette (Knives Out), Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones) and Michael Stuhlbarg (Dopesick) also appearing.

Read on for everything you need to know about The Staircase on Sky Atlantic, NOW and HBO Max.

The Staircase release date

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Colin Firth in The Staircase
SEAC

The Staircase premieres on Thursday 5th May at 9pm on Sky Atlantic. The first three episodes will be available to stream on NOW from that same date, with the remaining five being rolled out weekly from then.

That means the complete series will be ready to binge from Thursday 9th June.

The Staircase cast

Colin Firth (Operation Mincemeat) takes the lead role in The Staircase, portraying Michael Peterson, the writer and one-time mayoral candidate who was accused of murdering his wife.

The late Kathleen Peterson is to be played by Toni Collette, who is riding high from acclaimed film roles in Hereditary, Knives Out and Nightmare Alley, as well as recent Netflix hit Pieces of Her.

Patrick Schwarzenegger (Moxie) and Dane DeHaan (ZeroZeroZero) have been enlisted as Peterson’s two sons, Todd and Clayton, while Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones) and Odessa Young (Mothering Sunday) play his adoptive daughters Margaret and Martha.

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The Staircase cast Tim Guinee, Sophie Turner, Colin Firth, Olivia DeJonge, Patrick Schwarzenegger and Dane DeHaan.
SEAC

Olivia DeJonge (The Society) has been cast as Caitlin Atwater, biological daughter of Kathleen from a previous relationship, who infamously distanced herself from her stepfather and sided with the prosecution.

Rosemarie DeWitt plays Kathleen’s sister Candace – who was also a vocal accuser of Michael – with this being the second time she has played sibling to Collette following their leading roles on United States of Tara.

Dopesick and Doctor Strange star Michael Stuhlbarg portrays Peterson’s defence lawyer David Rudolf, while the documentary crew chronicling his case is depicted by Juliette Binoche (The English Patient), Vincent Vermignon (Luther) and Frank Feys (Back to Life).

Is The Staircase based on a true story?

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Michael Peterson and Kathleen Peterson, pictured in The Staircase
Netflix

The Staircase is based on the extraordinary true story of Kathleen Peterson’s death, who was found at the bottom of the stairs at their home in Durham, North Carolina.

The subsequent criminal trial saw the district attorney prosecute her husband, Michael, for murder, an accusation to which he pled ‘not guilty’ and maintains his complete innocence to this day.

Michael was convicted of murdering Kathleen in 2001 and sentenced to life in prison. However, 14 years later, the charge was reduced to manslaughter and he was sentenced to time already served.

The case was the subject of a critically acclaimed documentary, which filmed off-and-on for more than a decade, following surprising developments and leading theories.

How to watch The Staircase documentary

Those looking to brush up on the complex Michael Peterson case prior to the launch of this drama series should seek out the original documentary series, also titled The Staircase, which is still streaming on Netflix.

Filming commenced in the immediate aftermath of Kathleen’s death, which allows for an intimate look into the court battle as it unfolds, as opposed to the retrospective format taken by many other genre entries.

Check out the trailer below or watch The Staircase on Netflix.