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Timing is everything in Hollywood, and the producers of the upcoming film: ‘Murdaugh Murders: The Movie’ couldn’t have asked for better timing.
On the day after some truly explosive news broke in the ‘Murdaugh Murders‘ crime and corruption saga, the Lifetime network announced it was airing its 500th original movie. Its focus? The Murdaughs – an infamous South Carolina Lowcountry dynasty that came crashing down following a fatal boat crash, a maze of financial crimes, a graphic double homicide and years of protracted legal drama.
Reporter Kristen Baldwin of Entertainment Weekly got the exclusive on the launch of this upcoming film, which stars 69-year-old actor Bill Pullman – of Spaceballs and Independence Day fame – as convicted killer Alex Murdaugh.
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According to Baldwin, the movie is “a two-part film that chronicles the grim series of events” which led Murdaugh to kill his wife – 52-year-old Maggie Murdaugh – and younger son, 22-year-old Paul Murdaugh, on the family’s hunting property in Colleton County on the evening of June 7, 2021.
Murdaugh was convicted of the murders by a Colleton County jury on March 2, 2023. The jury deliberated for only a few hours before returning its verdict: Guilty on all counts. The following day, S.C. circuit court judge Clifton Newman sentenced Murdaugh to two consecutive life terms.
Murdaugh’s attorneys are appealing that conviction, though, and this week they dropped some bombshell jury tampering allegations …
(Click to View)
According to a news release announcing the launch of the Lifetime movie, it appears as though the film will track the general narrative of the Netflix documentary, the first part of which dropped back in February during the murder trial in Walterboro, S.C.
The Netflix documentary – which is releasing a second season later this year – focused heavily on the aftermath of a fatal February 2019 boat crash involving the late Paul Murdaugh. That crash claimed the life of 19-year-old Mallory Beach of Hampton, S.C. and ultimately precipitated the downfall of the once-powerful “House of Murdaugh,” a family/ legal dynasty which ran the Palmetto Lowcountry like a fiefdom for nearly a century.
“Even with all of Alex’s influence, he couldn’t prevent the Murdaugh family’s legacy from being tarnished after Paul was involved in a boating accident that left a young girl dead,” the release noted. “While Maggie was consumed with what was happening with Paul, Alex was hiding his addiction to opioids and stealing insurance settlements from his own clients to fund his habit and the family’s lavish lifestyle. Then in June 2021, Maggie and Paul were found murdered, and eyes began to turn to Alex.”
In addition to Pullman, the movie stars actress Lauren Robek as Maggie Murdaugh and Curtis Tweedie as Paul Murdaugh.
(Click to View)
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Promotional pictures provided to Entertainment Weekly feature images of Alex Murdaugh appearing to assault his late son – grabbing him by the shirt collar around his neck.
The Murdaugh saga has been the focus of multiple documentaries, but this offering appears to be the first “based on a true story” treatment of the narrative.
‘Murdaugh Murders: The Movie’ is scheduled to air on Lifetime at 8:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday, October 14 (part one) and Sunday, October 15, 2023 (part two).
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children.
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6 comments
ENUFF ALREADY ….
They’ll need to fatten Bill ip and dumb him down for an accurate portrayal
Hollywood should wait until Trial 2 happens. Now, with the “Jury Tampering,” it may need to change the dialog. Buster says someone else killed Paul and Maggie because of the boat crash, and Paul was still not getting justice for the act. The story coming from the “Egg Lady” that the Clerk of Court approached her was telling her that he was guilty and telling others when they had to take a smoke break every hour outside the Court House. Can you believe this crap? I still think some Cartel Kingpin is involved in this case and using Alex’s stolen money to pay off Jim and Dick. The story has legs that go for miles in SC and maybe Mexico.
Have at it, Hollywood. I’ll stick to the facts, actual images and videos, documents and witness statements instead of your sure-to-be-comedic “docu”-drama. What will you be using for AleX’s fake tears and his excessive snot from likely snorting illegal drugs? Will you portray his stained teeth from years of snuff? You’ll want to mention to Bill Pullman to practice his tongue-sucking, snot-sucking, tear-wiping and lip smacking. Might want to include his alleged use and abuse of prostitutes, too.
And what’s with jury smoke breaks? I’ve been on juries … no one ever got a smoke break. NEVER.
Jury tampering and obstruction of justice. Just two crimes that Pooter and Jim are guilty of … and they have committed those cromes with full knowledge that there will never be any consequences for them. This is the real Murdaugh scandal.