Stories like this don’t fade; they echo. Netflix’s Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers, added to the platform just five days ago, has already become the second most-watched film on Netflix US. The documentary returns to the life and crimes of Aileen Wuornos with new vantage points and restored archival material, tracing how a Florida highway investigation became a cultural obsession. Directed by Emily Turner and produced by BBC Studios Documentary Unit with NBC News Studios, the 2025 documentary leans on prison interviews, rare audio, and decades of footage to cut through myth and media noise.
Rather than sensationalize, the film examines the forces that shaped Wuornos and the justice system that judged her. Here is everything you need to know about Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers — from the plot and participants to early reception and the streaming release date. The trailer is at the bottom of the article.
All the key details about Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers
- Title: Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers
- Format: Documentary film
- Length: 104 minutes
- Genre: True crime / Documentary / Psychological portrait
- Country of production: United Kingdom / United States
- Year of release: 2025
- Director: Emily Turner
- Produced by: BBC Studios Documentary Unit, NBC News Studios (for Netflix)
What happens in Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers?
The documentary revisits Wuornos’ trajectory from a childhood marked by abuse to the 1989–1990 murders that drew national scrutiny, placing her own words alongside contemporaneous news coverage and courtroom material. New and newly surfaced audio interviews and prison recordings are interwoven with the perspectives of reporters and investigators who tracked the case, allowing the narrative to weigh competing accounts without leaning on reenactments.
By foregrounding archival footage and media reflection, the film explores not just what happened, but how the story was constructed in public. It’s less a retelling for shock value and more a critical portrait of trauma, gender, and the machinery of American justice.
Who’s in the cast of Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers?
Everyone appears as themselves, including law enforcement officers, former attorneys, investigative journalists, and friends of Wuornos. The documentary also features rare, remastered footage of Aileen Wuornos herself, recorded in the months leading to her 2002 execution. Director Emily Turner narrates key sections, guiding the viewer through the moral and psychological maze of Wuornos’ story.
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Is Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers based on a true story?
Yes, every moment stems from real events. The film is based on archival court material, police recordings, and direct interviews conducted throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s. It also draws from the filmmakers’ access to unreleased audio cassettes and interviews with surviving witnesses.
The title’s phrase, Queen of the Serial Killers, comes from a nickname coined by tabloid media during Wuornos’ trial — a reflection of the public’s obsession with her as both spectacle and warning.
What are the reviews on Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers?
Early reactions highlight its sobering tone and measured storytelling. Critics praise Emily Turner’s refusal to romanticize her subject while acknowledging the systemic cruelty surrounding Wuornos’ life. The Guardian called it “a haunting reclamation of agency from the edges of American despair,” while viewers on social media describe it as “raw, empathetic, and impossible to shake.”
Compared to the dramatized Monster (2003), this documentary offers a colder, closer look — less catharsis, more confrontation. On Rotten Tomatoes, it’s trending positive with critics noting its mix of forensic detail and emotional restraint.
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Where was Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers filmed?
Filming took place across Florida, particularly in Daytona Beach, Marion County, and Ocala, where many of the original crimes and trials occurred. Archival segments were sourced from Tampa Bay news archives and the Florida Department of Corrections. Additional narration and interviews were filmed in London.
Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers: behind the scenes and curiosities
- The documentary uses digitally restored VHS footage from the 1992 interviews by journalist Nick Broomfield, repurposed with permission.
- Director Emily Turner has said her goal was “to separate the human being from the myth — without excusing either.”
- Wuornos’ original artwork, made during her years on death row, appears in the film for the first time on camera.
- The soundtrack features original music by Hildur Guðnadóttir, known for Joker and Chernobyl.
What’s Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers like?
If you enjoyed The Ted Bundy Tapes or Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer, this is the right film for you — but darker, quieter, and more psychologically intense. It combines forensic documentary precision with emotional introspection, forcing the audience to sit uncomfortably close to its subject.
Release date on Netflix
Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers in available on Netflix starting October 30, 2025 ► Watch on Netflix
