If Ryan Murphy’s popularity proves anything, it’s that he isn’t afraid to tackle the most controversial stories on the small screen. This September, he shocked the world with his Netflix series “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,” which quickly soared to the top of the global charts and shows no signs of slowing down.
As the title suggests, the show offers its own take on the infamous 1989 murders of José and Kitty Menéndez, who were killed by their sons, Lyle and Erik. While the production covers the key facts of the case, Murphy has taken creative liberties that have not only upset those familiar with the tragedy but also angered the Menendez brothers themselves, with Erik releasing a statement condemning the portrayal.
Now, it seems Netflix isn’t finished with the Menendez narrative, as they’ve just dropped the trailer for an upcoming documentary that further delves into the murders.
All about Netflix’s upcoming documentary ‘The Menendez Brothers’
On October 7, the #1 streaming service will release its second exploration of the Menendez case, this time in a documentary format that departs from the dramatization featuring Cooper Koch and Nicholas Alexander Chavez, which premiered on September 21.
What sets this documentary apart is that Erik and Lyle Menendez were both interviewed for the film, alongside new testimonies from their cousin Diane Vander Molen and prosecutor Pamela Bozanich. This approach may resonate more positively with viewers, as it offers insights directly from the brothers themselves.
This isn’t the first time their statements have been featured on screen. Recent productions include the 2023 Peacock series “Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed” and the 2017 episode of “How It Really Happened with Jesse L. Martin”. In total, their voices have appeared in eight productions since their conviction.
However, many of these titles rely on older statements from the brothers, whereas the Netflix documentary is reportedly the first time in decades that they discuss their current perspective on the events. “Everyone asks why we killed our parents,” Lyle states in an audio interview. “Maybe now people can understand the truth.”
