Netflix Releases Two New True Crime Series: ‘Evil Genius’ And Further Episodes Of ‘The Staircase’

For fans of true crime series and documentaries, Netflix has you covered. Coming up in May, true crime fans can get another installment of Evil Genius as well as The Staircase, a three-part documentary.

Evil Genius: The True Story of America’s Most Diabolical Bank Heist delves into the extraordinary criminal case known as the “pizza bomber heist.” This four-part original documentary series brings to light the complex story of a robbery gone wrong. It then shows how things escalate as a terrifying public murder, as a result of this robbery, captures the nation’s attention. Evil Genius then explores all of the twists and turns throughout the case leading up to the arrest of “a woman grappling with mental illness.” Along the way, “a bizarre collection of Midwestern hoarders, outcasts, and lawbreakers play cat-and-mouse with the FBI,” according to the press release from Netflix.

Evil Genius: The True Story of America’s Most Diabolical Bank Heist is written and directed by Barbara Schroeder. The co-director and executive producer is Trey Borzillieri. Mark Duplass, Jay Duplass, Josh Braun, and Dan Braun act as executive producers on the true crime series.

Alongside Evil Genius, the French documentary The Staircase will explore the strange case of “a crime novelist accused of killing his wife.” Kathleen Peterson is found dead at the bottom of a staircase in their home. The resulting 16-year judicial battle is then explored in the true crime series.

Academy-Award-winning documentary filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade heads this documentary after he was given “unusual access” immediately following Kathleen’s death in 2001. It becomes apparent very quickly that her husband, Michael Peterson, a local public figure, is considered the prime suspect.

As Deadline points out, further episodes of The Staircase will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 28. They will then drop on Netflix later this summer.

The Staircase is produced by What’s Up Films. It is directed by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade and produced by Matthieu Belghiti and Allyson Luchak.

You can view Netflix‘s true crime trailer below.

The Staircase will premiere on Netflix alongside the original 10 episodes.

Evil Genius: The True Story of America’s Most Diabolical Bank Heist launches globally on May 11.