Monster Season 4 Faces Backlash Amid Ambitious Future Plans
WHO:
ComingSoon.net - Ella Beatty stars as Lizzie Borden in Monster Season 4.
The Hollywood Reporter - Vicky Krieps plays both the family’s housekeeper, Bridget a.k.a Maggie, and Elizabeth Bathory in flashbacks.
The Hollywood Reporter - Ian Brennan stated that Lizzie Borden was their most sympathetic serial killer yet.
The Hollywood Reporter - Ryan Murphy has a deep connection with the Lizzie Borden case; he won a choral competition in kindergarten singing the Lizzie Borden rhyme.
ComingSoon.net - The cast of Monster Season 4 includes Ella Beatty as Lizzie Borden, Vicky Krieps, Charlie Hunnam, Rebecca Hall, Sarah Paulson, and Jessica Barden.
The Hollywood Reporter - Ian Brennan is the creator of Monster, collaborating with producer Ryan Murphy.
WHAT:
ComingSoon.net - Monster Season 4 has received a mixed reception from critics and viewers, being described as "controversial" and "trashed" on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Hollywood Reporter - Ian Brennan stated that the writing process for the season was "organic and quick" once they decided on Lizzie Borden as the subject.
The Hollywood Reporter - Brennan mentioned that the selection of Lizzie Borden was made after considering the Luigi Mangione story, which was deemed "too new and esoteric."
The Hollywood Reporter - The season features a triptych of female killers, including Elizabeth Bathory, Aileen Wuornos, and Lizzie Borden.
The Hollywood Reporter - The show plans for a total of 10 seasons, with a "hopper of three" options for the next season.
The Hollywood Reporter - The season features a triptych of female killers: Elizabeth Bathory, Aileen Wuornos, and Lizzie Borden.
The Hollywood Reporter - Sarah Paulson appears in episode four, delivering a performance that Brennan described as "so good and so funny."
ComingSoon.net - Monster Season 4 is based on the story of female killer Lizzie Borden.
The Hollywood Reporter - The season consists of eight episodes titled Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story.
The Hollywood Reporter - Brennan described the writing process for this season as a "fever dream."
The Hollywood Reporter - The show plans for a total of 10 seasons.
WHERE:
The Hollywood Reporter - The Lizzie Borden murders took place in Fall River, Massachusetts, in 1892.
WHEN:
The Hollywood Reporter - The show plans for a total of 10 seasons, with a "hopper of three" options for the next season.
The Hollywood Reporter - The murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson occurred in 2024.
The Hollywood Reporter - Sarah Paulson appears in episode four of the season.
WHY:
The Hollywood Reporter - Ryan Murphy expressed a desire to tell the Lizzie Borden story, which led to the decision to focus on her for this season.
The Hollywood Reporter - The creators aimed to explore themes of female rage and the societal "cages" women are placed in.
HOW:
The Hollywood Reporter - Brennan described the writing process for the season as a "fever dream."
The Hollywood Reporter - Ian Brennan described the writing process for the season as "organic and quick" once they decided on Lizzie Borden as the subject.
The Hollywood Reporter - Brennan mentioned that the writing process for the season was organic and quick once they decided on Lizzie Borden as the subject.
The Hollywood Reporter - The selection of Lizzie Borden as the subject was made after considering other stories, including that of Luigi Mangione, which was deemed too new and esoteric.
The Hollywood Reporter - Brennan and Murphy take creative liberties in storytelling to fill in gaps and provide a fuller narrative.
(UPDATED September 19, 2026 18:55 UTC)
Monster Season 4 has sparked a mixed response from critics and viewers, with some describing it as "controversial" and "trashed" on Rotten Tomatoes. Ian Brennan shared that the writing process felt like a "fever dream" and was both "organic and quick" once they settled on Lizzie Borden as the subject, after initially considering a story about Luigi Mangione that was deemed "too new and esoteric." Looking ahead, the show aims for a total of 10 seasons, with three options already in the hopper for the next installment.
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(UPDATED September 19, 2026 07:03 UTC)
In an exciting new development for fans of the series, Ella Beatty will star as Lizzie Borden in the upcoming fourth season of "Monster," which will explore a triptych of infamous female killers, including Aileen Wuornos and Elizabeth Bathory. Vicky Krieps will take on dual roles as the family's housekeeper, Bridget, also known as Maggie, and Elizabeth Bathory in flashbacks. The show's creator, Ian Brennan, described the writing process for this season as "organic and quick" after they settled on Lizzie Borden as the focal point, and plans are in place for a total of 10 seasons with three options already in the hopper for the next installment.
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(UPDATED September 19, 2026 00:00 UTC)
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ian Brennan revealed that Lizzie Borden is their most sympathetic serial killer yet, while Ryan Murphy shared his personal connection to the case, recalling how he won a choral competition in kindergarten with the Lizzie Borden rhyme. The upcoming season features a triptych of female killers, including Elizabeth Bathory, Aileen Wuornos, and Lizzie Borden, with Sarah Paulson set to deliver a standout performance in episode four that Brennan described as "so good and so funny." Brennan also noted that the writing process for this season was both organic and quick once they settled on Lizzie Borden as the central figure.
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(UPDATED September 18, 2026 20:03 UTC)
The highly anticipated fourth season of "Monster," created by Ian Brennan and produced by Ryan Murphy, will focus on the infamous story of female killer Lizzie Borden, featuring a star-studded cast that includes Ella Beatty, Vicky Krieps, Charlie Hunnam, Rebecca Hall, Sarah Paulson, and Jessica Barden. This season, titled "Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story," will consist of eight episodes and aims to explore themes of female rage and the societal constraints placed on women, with Brennan describing the writing process as a "fever dream." Set against the backdrop of the 1892 murders in Fall River, Massachusetts, the show plans for a total of 10 seasons, with Sarah Paulson making her appearance in episode four.