True-crime devotees are in for a treat this spring. On April 27, HBO Max will debut its buzzy limited series Love & Death, starring Marvel's Elizabeth Olsen and the always-excellent Jesse Plemons (The Power of the Dog).
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The Texas-set series is based on the real-life criminal trial of housewife Candy Montgomery, who, in 1980, was charged with the brutal murder of her friend and neighbor Betty Gore. From the looks of the newly-released trailer, Love & Death is the quirky, psychodrama adaptation of our dreams...or nightmares.
Elizabeth Olsen as Candy Montgomery. (Jake Giles Netter/HBO Max)
The true story of Candy Montgomery and her friend Betty Gore, who was found dead in her home with dozens of axe wounds, has long been an object of horror and fascination. The case was adapted last year in the Jessica Biel-led Hulu limited series Candy. And now, Elizabeth Olsen is taking a stab at the infamous Texas housewife.
Best known for her MCU role as the Avenger Wanda Maximoff, Olsen is no stranger to brutal thriller fare. The actress starred alongside fellow Avenger Jeremy Renner in Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan's acclaimed 2017 drama Wind River. Oscar-nominated actor Jesse Plemons will take on the role of Allan Gore, the husband of the murdered Betty Gore (played by Shrinking's Lily Rabe).
Lily Rabe and Jesse Plemons as Betty and Allan Gore. (Jake Giles Netter/HBO Max)
The shocking real-life trial of Candy Montgomery was almost stranger than fiction. During court proceedings, it was revealed that Montgomery had been having an affair with Betty Gore's husband Allan. Montgomery ultimately pled self-defense, alleging that Gore attacked her when she found out about the affair.
(Jake Giles Netter/HBO Max)
Nicole Kidman (reigning queen of the domestic thriller) serves as an executive producer on the series. The Undoing and Big Little Lies creator David E. Kelley wrote the script, adapted from the 1984 book about the case Evidence of Love: A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs. Prolific director Lesli Linka Glatter, who's helmed episodes of Homeland and Justified, will direct the series.
Check out the trailer for Love & Death below.
The first three episodes of Love & Death premiere April 27 on HBO Max, with subsequent episodes dropping every Thursday.
