Chilling trailer for Netflix's Watts family murders doc gives voice to victims
Netflix's latest true-crime documentary has seemingly found a unique, chilling way into one of the most disturbing murder cases in recent history.
The first trailer for American Murder: The Family Next Door, the new film from director Jenny Popplewell and Oscar-winning executive producer James Marsh (Man on Wire and The Theory of Everything), brings audiences into the grim mystery leading up to the deaths of 34-year-old Shannan Watts and her two young daughters, who, in 2018, were reported missing in their hometown of Frederick, Colorado.
Shortly after their disappearance, Shanann's husband, Chris, admitted to killing his family and disposing of their bodies in an oil storage site owned by his then-employer, a revelation that uncovered a twisted backstory the filmmakers explore entirely through archival footage, Shanann's social media posts and self-shot videos, law enforcement recordings, text messages, and never-before-seen home videos from family and friends.
Though Chris was ultimately sentenced to life in prison, the film explores the police investigation that exposed the root of his disintegrating marriage with Shanann in a narrative Netflix claims "is the first film to give a voice to the victims" in the shocking case.
American Murder: The Family Next Door premieres Sept. 30 on Netflix. Watch the film's first trailer above, and see the film's poster below.
Related content:
