Colin Firth to play Michael Peterson in HBO Max's series adaptation of The Staircase

Variety

HBO Max has ordered an eight-episode limited drama series adaptation of the landmark 2004 docuseries of the same name, starring the Oscar-winning Firth as Peterson, who was accused of murdering his wife, Kathleen, in 2001. Peterson claimed she died after falling down the stairs at their home, but police suspected he bludgeoned her to death and staged the scene to look like an accident. The Staircase originally aired on Sundance Channel in 2004. In 2018, Netflix revived it with updates as a 13-episode true-crime series. In 2019, Variety reported that Harrison Ford was attached to star in The Staircase adaptation. The Staircase is a co-production between HBO Max and Annapurna Television. “With the enormously talented Colin Firth at the center of this adaptation, the story of The Staircase will continue to captivate audiences with every bizarre twist and turn," said Sarah Aubrey, head of original content for HBO Max. The Staircase will be Firth's first TV series role in a quarter-century. He is primarily known for his movies, having been nominated twice for the Oscar, winning best actor for The King's Speech in 2011.