Production Kicks Off for ‘Monster’ Season 4 in L.A., Following Lizzie Borden Arc
Netflix and Ryan Murphy’s hit anthology series “Monster” is officially back in production. Season 4, which pivots toward the infamous Lizzie Borden case, has begun shooting in Los Angeles just days after the release of Season 3. Here is what we know so far about the cast, direction, and concept for this daring new installment.
A New Monster: Lizzie Borden Steps Into the Spotlight
Season 4 marks the first time “Monster” places a female figure at the center of its narrative. According to People, “The fourth season of Monster will adapt the story of Lizzie Borden, who was accused of murdering her stepmother, Abby Borden, and her father, Andrew Borden, in Fall River, Mass., in August 1892. Both victims died from multiple blows to their heads with a hatchet, and speculation quickly fell to Lizzie, who was 32 at the time of the murders.” Borden was later acquitted of the crimes.
The decision to highlight Borden signals a thematic shift — one that may interrogate how society labels women as “monsters.” In Murphy’s own words to People, the season will “profile famous women who have been labeled as one thing,” asking audiences: “Really, do you think so?”
Cast & Creative Team: Returning Faces and Fresh Leads
Ella Beatty has been cast in the pivotal role of Lizzie Borden, joining “Monster” as its first female lead. Rebecca Hall will portray Borden’s stepmother, Abby, while Charlie Hunnam returns in the role of her father, Andrew Borden. Also attached to the cast are Vicky Krieps, Billie Lourd as Emma Borden (Lizzie’s sister), and Jessica Barden in the role of Nance O’Neill, a close acquaintance of Lizzie.
Shooting in L.A.: Practicalities and Timing
According to People, “Deadline reported that production on the fourth season of Monster will begin filming in Los Angeles in the fall. Henry Winkler‘s son, Max Winkler, a Murphy-regular and Barden’s husband, will direct the season’s first episode, per the outlet.”
The tight timing — beginning principal photography so soon after Season 3’s release — suggests confidence from Netflix in the franchise’s momentum and a desire to sustain audience engagement without long hiatuses.
Context: From Dahmer to the Bordens
By placing Lizzie Borden’s story at the heart of Season 4, “Monster” continues its formula of dramatizing provocative, infamous true-crime cases. Previous volumes have focused on Jeffrey Dahmer (Season 1), the Menéndez brothers (Season 2), and Ed Gein (Season 3).
Season 3, which starred Charlie Hunnam as Gein, dropped this month and sparked conversation about the cultural sway of true crime. With Season 4 already rolling, Murphy appears determined to keep pushing boundaries — not through shock alone, but through historical lenses and gendered scrutiny.
Outlook and Expectations
While a release date has not yet been announced, past seasons have debuted in the September–October window, making an autumn 2026 premiere plausible. Viewers can anticipate a narrative that juxtaposes horror and societal judgment, using the Borden case as a centerpiece but reaching beyond it. As Murphy teased, the season’s scope will include “other infamous women who were branded as monsters.” If done well, this season could represent a compelling evolution in “Monster”’s arc — one that forces audiences to question who we demonize, and why.
