The short teaser trailer for MGM+’s Amityville: An Origin Story confirms the documentary series will be delving into the murders of six DeFeo family members in 1974 as well as the paranormal events that supposedly occurred in the home when the Lutz family moved in. The four-part docuseries will premiere on April 23, 2023 at 10pm ET/PT following the season two debut of From.
MGM+’s trailer release was accompanied by new photos from the docuseries directed by Jack Riccobono (The Seventh Fire). Executive producers include Riccobono, Lesley Chilcott, Blaine Duncan, Brooklyn Hudson, Amanda Raymond, Rhett Bachner, and Brien Meagher.
The first Amityville Horror film, based on Jay Anson’s book, was released in 1979 and starred James Brolin and Margot Kidder. Amityville II: The Possession with Burt Young followed in 1982, and Amityville 3-D starring Tony Roberts and Tess Harper premiered in November 1983. A remake of the original film arrived in 2005 with Ryan Reynolds taking on James Brolin’s role and Melissa George subbing in for Margot Kidder.
In 2017, Hollywood revived the Amityville Horror franchise with Amityville: The Awakening starring Bella Thorne, Jennifer Jason Lee, and Cameron Monaghan.
MGM+ offered this description of the Amityville: An Origin Story docuseries:
Amityville: An Origin Story tells the story behind the world’s most infamous haunted house tale: the Amityville murders. The project is the first elevated look at every aspect of this wildly layered story about the heinous murder of a family of six that became eclipsed by paranormal controversy.
The 1979 blockbuster film, The Amityville Horror, inspired by the book of the same title by Jay Anson spawned an ever-expanding universe of movies, books, supernatural theories, and horror superfans. But the mass murder behind the hauntings — and its alleged ties to organized crime—left a long trail of questions that have never been fully explored.
Rooted in the dark cultural undercurrents of the 1970s, the series features firsthand accounts from witnesses, family members, and former investigators appearing on-camera for the first time. Exclusive archival footage, newly unearthed images, and stunning original photography are woven together into the most compelling and comprehensive telling of the Amityville story yet, taking viewers on a heart-pounding roller coaster ride through the mythology, factual record, and devastating human toll of this notorious meta-narrative.
