Lifetime’s Fall Movie Slate Includes Bill Pullman in Murdaugh Murders — See Full ‘Ripped from the Headlines’ Schedule
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The cabler announced Wednesday that The Sinner’s Bill Pullman will star in Murdaugh Murders: The Movie. Airing across two nights, the “Ripped from the Headlines” event follows the twisted true story of Alex Murdaugh (played by Pullman), who was found guilty in the double homicide of his wife and son — a case that is currently being chronicled in the ongoing Netflix docuseries Murdaugh Murders: A Family Scandal.
Murdaugh Murders is one of seven original movies airing this fall — and Pullman is just one of several familiar faces you’ll find among them. You’ll also spot Sarah Drew (Grey’s Anatomy), Emily Osment (Young Sheldon) and Anna Hopkins (The Expanse), Luke MacFarlane (Platonic) and Kirsten Vangsness (Criminal Minds), Meagan Good (Harlem) and Ariana Madix (Vanderpump Rules), Wendi McLendon-Covey (The Goldbergs), and Melissa Joan Hart (Sabrina the Teenage Witch).
Scroll down to see the complete “Ripped from the Headlines” lineup, along with premiere dates for each movie — all of which were filmed prior to the start of the SAG-AFTRA strike.
HOW SHE CAUGHT A KILLER
Premiere Date: Saturday, Sept. 16 at 8/7c
Logline: Inspired by real events, rookie detective Linda Murphy (played by Grey’s Anatomy‘s 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, capture a serial killer. Delilah Hamlin stars as a former sex worker and aspiring nurse who is the killer’s first victim.
STOLEN BABY: THE MURDER OF HEIDI BROUSSARD
Premiere Date: Saturday, Sept. 23 at 8/7c
Logline: Stolen Baby: The Murder of Heidi Broussard is based on a true story of best friends Magen (Young Sheldon‘s Emily Osment) and Heidi (The Expanse‘s 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
Premiere Date: Saturday, Sept. 30 at 8/7c
Logline: Devoted to her husband, kids and faith, Barbara Weaver (The Flash‘s Miranda MacDougall) was content leading a traditional life in her conservative Ohio Amish community — with no modern conveniences. Her husband Eli (Bros‘ 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 marriage 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 discover Eli had a secret cell phone. Their investigations led them to Barb Raber (Criminal Minds‘ 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.
Amish Stud is based on the book “A Killing in Amish Country: Sex, Betrayal and a Cold-Blooded Murder” by Gregg Olsen and Rebecca Morris.
BUYING BACK MY DAUGHTER
Premiere Date: Saturday, Oct. 7 at 8/7c
Logline: When Dana (Harlem‘s Meagan Good) and Curtis’ (Coroner‘s Roger Cross) 16-year-old daughter, Alicia (Riverdale‘s 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 her 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.
Ariana Madix (Vanderpump Rules) co-stars as Karen, a police officer who helps investigate the case and has a personal connection to the story.
MURDAUGH MURDERS: THE MOVIE
LIFETIME’S 500TH ORIGINAL MOVIE
Part 1 Premiere Date: Saturday, Oct. 14 at 8/7c
Part 2 Premiere Date: Sunday, Oct. 15 at 8/7c
Logline: Murdaugh Murders: The Movie follows the twisted true story of Alex Murdaugh (played by The Sinner‘s Bill Pullman), who was found guilty in the double homicide of his wife, Maggie, and his son, Paul. 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
Premiere Date: Saturday, Oct. 21 at 8/7c
Logline: Based on a true story, the movie follows Vicky White (played by The Goldbergs‘ Wendi McLendon-Covey), a lonely corrections officer who falls for a prisoner (Three Pines‘ 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 is brought to 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 lengthy prison sentence 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 eleven-day dash for freedom. For Vicky, even the probable tragedy ahead of them is worth the chance to live life fully once more.
WOULD YOU KILL FOR ME? THE MARY BAILEY STORY
Premiere Date: Saturday, Oct. 28 at 8/7c
Logline: Told through three different perspectives, Would You Kill for Me? The Mary Bailey Story follows the volatile relationship between three generations of women – Ella (Sabrina the Teenage Witch‘s 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 “Spookyboo” 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.
The Mary Bailey Story is 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.
Which of Lifetime’s “Ripped from the Headlines” movies will you be watching? Let us know in Comments.
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