'The Staircase' TV Adaptation Will Bring Harrison Ford To Television For The First Time In 25 Years
The True Crime docu-series The Staircase is getting a dramatized TV series adaptation, and the show has landed itself a big star. Harrison Ford is attached to star as Michael Peterson, who was accused of murdering his wife. Peterson's defense was that his wife, Kathleen Peterson, died as a result of a fall down a staircase. This lead to a sensational trial, and a much-talked-about docu-series chronicling the events.
One of Harrison Ford's best roles was that of a man accused of murdering his wife in The Fugitive. Now, Ford is gearing up to proclaim he didn't murder his wife yet again with The Staircase. Variety reports Ford is set to star in a The Staircase TV adaptation, based on the True Crime docu-series of the same name. The original docu-series originally aired in 2004, but Netflix bought the rights to the series and filmed three new episodes, which arrived in 2018.
The Staircase "is the compelling story of Michael Peterson, a crime novelist accused of killing his wife Kathleen after she is found dead at the bottom of a staircase in their home, and the 16 year judicial battle that followed." The docu-series leans heavily on the idea that Peterson was indeed innocent, although it's worth noting that Peterson was in a romantic relationship with the docu-series' editor, Sophie Brunet.
In addition to the theory that Kathleen Peterson died due to a fall, there's another theory that an owl might have been responsible for her death. Yes, really. See for yourself. It's actually kind of convincing.
The Staircase TV adaptation comes from Annapurna TV, who are currently shopping the show to networks and streaming services. Antonio Campos will write and executive produce. Ford will also executive produce.
Casting Ford as Peterson is a great idea. He vaguely resembles the real man, but he's also the right type of actor to play the part of a guy you can't quite pin down. He might be innocent, but then again, he might be guilty. This will be Ford's first TV role since his appearance on The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles in 1993, where he played Indiana Jones, but with a beard.