Lifetime's Ripped-From-the-Headlines Fall Lineup Is Here
Who doesn't love a little camp? Admit it, we all love to watch "ripped from the headlines" movies with our mouths agape, wondering how these incredible and inconceivable plots are based on actual events.
Lifetime has seemingly cornered the market, and this fall, will launch seven new original movies—one every Saturday (with movies available to stream the next day at MyLifetime.com). The network will reach a milestone 500th original movie with Murdaugh Murders: The Movie, a two-part, two-night event starring Bill Pullman.
Other movies in Lifetime's "Truly Unbelievable" lineup feature a star-studded cast including Sarah Drew, Emily Osment, Melissa Joan Hart, Roger Cross and Luke Macfarlane. Take a look at the lineup of movies below.
Related: True Crime Stories That Would Make Good Movies
Lifetime Movies Based on True Stories
Lifetime
How She Caught a Killer
Premieres Saturday, Sept. 16 at 8 p.m. ET on Lifetime
Starring Sarah Drew, Eric Keenleyside, Jamall Johnson
Inspired by real events, rookie detective Linda Murphy (Sarah Drew) is fresh out of the police academy when she hears her boss, detective David Goodman (Eric Keenleyside) talking about a serial killer in the area who seems to be targeting sex workers. Teaming up with FBI agent Neil Carter (Jamall Johnson), Linda fights to go undercover to help solve the murders and, if all goes accordingly, catch a serial killer. Delilah Hamlin stars as a former sex worker and aspiring nurse who is the killer’s first victim.
Fun fact: Delilah Hamlin is the daughter of actors Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin
Stolen Baby: The Murder of Heidi Broussard
Premieres Saturday, Sept. 23 at 8 p.m. ET on Lifetime
Starring Emilly Osment, Anna Hopkins, Ian Lake, Briar Nolet
Stolen Baby: The Murder of Heidi Broussard is based on a true story of best friends Magen (Emily Osment) and Heidi (Anna Hopkins) who have known each other for a decade. Pretending to be pregnant at the same time as her friend, Magen makes the journey from Houston to Austin to be by Heidi’s side once she learns she is ready to give birth. However, when Heidi goes missing with her newborn daughter just a few weeks after giving birth, suspicions about Magen’s loyalty and her true intentions are questioned. Authorities begin to suspect that she is hiding a huge secret as they begin to uncover her twisted and elaborate plan.
Amish Stud: The Eli Weaver Story
Premieres Saturday, Sept. 30 at 8 p.m. ET on Lifetime
Starring Miranda MacDougall, Luke Macfarlane, Kirsten Vangsness
Based on the book A Killing in Amish Country: Sex, Betrayal and a Cold-Blooded Murder by Gregg Olsen and Rebecca Morri, Amish Stud: The Eli Weaver Story follows Barbara Weaver (Miranda MacDougall), an Amish woman devoted to her husband, kids and faith who was content on leading a traditional life in her conservative Ohio Amish community—with no modern conveniences. Her husband, Eli (Luke Macfarlane), however, wanted the things that were forbidden to him as an Amish man. He gave into the temptations of women and technology, leading a secret life with the online alias “Amish Stud” to meet with women outside of his marital bed. Eli found his pick of curious women fascinated by the Amish lifestyle, and often spoke to his mistresses about his desire to kill his wife. When Barbara is found dead from a shotgun wound, all eyes turn to Eli.
But with his rock solid alibi, investigators had nowhere to turn, until they discovered Eli had a secret cell phone. Their investigations led them to Barb Raber (Kirsten Vangsness), a married Conservative Mennonite who had been having an affair with Eli and who was plotting with him to murder his wife. Ultimately, it is up to the detectives investigating the crime to find justice for Barbara Weaver.
Buying Back My Daughter
Premieres Saturday, Oct. 7 at 8 p.m. ET on Lifetime
Starring Meagan Good, Roger Cross, Faith Wright
When Dana (Meagan Good) and Curtis' (Roger Cross) 16-year-old daughter, Alicia (Faith Wright), sneaks out of the house to attend a party, a bout with teenage rebellion quickly escalates into a widespread search party spearheaded by Dana and the police. After almost a year of searching for her missing daughter, mother's intuition leads Dana to the salacious world of online escort ads where, to her horror, she finds Alicia listed for sale. Dana and Curtis spring into action and attempt to “buy their daughter back” in order to rescue her from the trafficker who abducted Alicia and subjected her to unspeakable harm.
Murdaugh Murders: The Movie
Part I premieres Saturday, Oct. 14 at 8 p.m. ET on Lifetime
Part II premieres Sunday, Oct. 15 at 8 p.m. ET on Lifetime
Starring Bill Pullman, Lauren Robek, Curtis Tweedie
Murdaugh Murders: The Movie follows the twisted true story of Alex Murdaugh (Bill Pullman), who was found guilty in the double homicide of his wife, Maggie (Lauren Robek) and his son, Paul (Curtis Tweedie). For over 100 years, the wealthy and powerful Murdaugh Family were a local dynasty in the South Carolina Low Country, where they oversaw the prosecution of all criminal cases in the state's 14th circuit district. But behind all the power, black ties and fancy dresses Alex had many secrets. 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.
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. The bizarre story continued when Alex was nearly shot in the head and his indiscretions and lies began to surface, leading to the eventual unraveling of Alex Murdaugh’s once charmed life.
Bad Romance: The Vicky White Story
Premieres Saturday, Oct. 21 at 8 p.m. ET on Lifetime
Starring Wendi McLendon-Covey, Rossif Sutherland
The movie follows Vicky White (Wendi McLendon-Covey), a lonely corrections officer who falls for a prisoner (Rossif Sutherland), but before she can ensure their happily ever after, she must first break him out of prison.
Every day for divorced prison corrections officer Vicky White is like the movie Groundhog Day—mundane and every day just like the previous. But when new prisoner Casey White (Sutherland) arrives at her facility, the two develop a secret infatuation. Vicky gives Casey special attention, believing he’s the only man to see her the way she wants to be seen. But when Casey’s inevitable transfer to a longterm prison approaches, Vicky decides to take desperate action. Risking everything, Vicky manages to break Casey out of jail and takes him on the run, eluding authorities on an 11-day dash for freedom. For Vicky, even the probable tragedy ahead of them is worth the chance to live life fully once more.
Related: 43 Best True Crime Shows
Would You Kill for Me? The Mary Bailey Story
Premieres Saturday, Oct. 28 at 8 p.m. ET on Lifetime
Starring Melissa Joan Hart, Olivia Scriven, Presley Allard, Connor McMahon
Based on the real-life experiences of Mary Elizabeth Bailey, author of My Mother's Soldier, whom at 11 years old, was forced to do the unthinkable. Told through three different perspectives, Would You Kill for Me? The Mary Bailey Story follows the volatile relationship between three generations of women—Ella (Melissa Joan Hart), her daughter Veronica (Olivia Scriven) and her granddaughter Mary (Presley Allard) whom she raises for Veronica.
After Veronica becomes deeply entangled with Willard (Connor McMahon) and later marries him, the lives of all three women take a turn for the worse when Willard becomes increasingly abusive. Veronica suffers a deep betrayal when her best friend Susan (Celina Myers), becomes pregnant with Willard’s child, further complicating their toxic relationship, leaving Ella, Mary and her half-brother Sammy at the mercy of Willard’s alcoholic rampages. The family fears for their lives, culminating in one horrific night when Willard is shot dead…but the identity of who pulled the trigger is not revealed till the very end.
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