8 Movies & Shows About Real-Life Female Serial Killers

The Honeymoon Killers (1970) is a cult classic inspired by the true story of serial killer duo Martha Beck (Shirley Stoler) and Raymond Fernandez (Tony Lo Bianco), better known as the Lonely Hearts Killers. In the film, Beck is a lonely nurse who falls hard for the charming Fernandez. When she finds out he’s a killer and con man who lures unsuspecting women to him via lonely hearts ads in the newspaper, she decides to join his venture, and the pair embark on a killing spree.

The Honeymoon Killers isn’t a straightforward true crime story. Instead, it takes the form of a bizarre, dark, and sometimes oddly humorous love story that delves deep into its subjects. Although Fernandez is the mastermind behind the killing spree, The Honeymoon Killers focuses more intimately on Beck, encouraging viewers to understand why she is the way she is, probing loneliness, narcissism, and desperation in a way that is creepy but convincing. If you’re looking for a disturbing, eerie, but passionate film about a twisted love story and a female serial killer, The Honeymoon Killers is a must-see.

Patty Jenkins’ Monster (2003) is a biographical crime drama that captures the life and crimes of one of the most infamous female serial killers: Aileen Wuornos (Charlize Theron). The film centers on Wuornos, a sex worker struggling to survive when she meets the love of her life, Selby Wall (Christina Ricci). However, her past trauma and desperation to provide for herself and Wall lead her to begin killing her male clients and stealing their belongings.

Monster is a tense, disturbing, and compassionate depiction of Wuornos. It captures her crimes and the harsh realities of her life without feeling exploitative or sensationalized. Theron is wholly unrecognizable as Wuornos, offering one of the best performances of her career as the struggling woman. As dark and uncomfortable as it can be, there’s a realism that makes it as compelling as biopics like I, Tonya (2017) and Molly’s Game (2017).

Deadly Women (2005) is a true crime docuseries that will acquaint you with several famous female serial killers. It offers a treasure trove of true-crime stories, with each episode tackling three to four real-life cases of female murderers. Across 14 seasons, the docuseries examined high-profile cases such as Lizzie Borden, Aileen Wuornos, Elizabeth Báthory, and Blanche Taylor Moore, as well as lesser-known cases such as Janie Lou Gibbs and Martha Wise.

Every case is told through dramatizations and interviews with experts or victims’ families. Each segment ends by revealing the fate of the accused woman. Deadly Women is a great watch if you want to compile an extensive list of prominent serial killers to research further and are looking for informative expert analysis on cases. However, given the campy re-enactments and large number of cases featured in a limited time, it’s not the most in-depth series.

Dark Angel is a miniseries that tells the true story of Mary Ann Cotton (Joanne Froggatt), who is considered one of Britain’s first known female serial killers. The series sees Cotton leave behind a trail of bodies as she amasses social and financial status. It traces her journey across the North East, where she picks up four husbands, each of whom, along with most of her children, dies.

Dark Angel lives up to its title. It’s a dark, gritty, sad, and disturbing, but undeniably compelling look into the life and psychology of one of Britain’s most notorious killers. The miniseries captures the ambiguity of the case, adding a bit of mystery and exploring the complex topic of mental health. Dark Angel is an excellent watch for fans of true-crime films or shows with a psychological thriller vibe, such as Memories of Murder (2003) and Zodiac (2007).

If you loved Monster but are eager to hear Aileen Wuornos's story in her own words, Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers (2025) is for you. The Netflix documentary examines the life, crimes, and legacy of Wuornos, featuring prison interviews with Wuornos herself to better understand her motives and experiences. Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers stands out because it doesn’t just recap the story but digs deeper, analyzing how the justice system treated Wuornos and prompting viewers to reconsider whether Wuornos was a “monster” or whether her difficult life shaped who she was.

Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers is a chilling, informative, and intriguing documentary with an investigative feel. Viewers who love analyzing true crime will enjoy Aileen: Queen of Serial Killers. While movies and shows like Monster and Dark Angel may be more entertaining and dramatic, Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers seeks to get to the heart of the topic of female killers and what makes them who they are.

Dorothea (2025) turns the true crime case of Dorothea Puente (Susan Priver) into a horror movie. In the film, an imprisoned elderly Puente recounts her story to a younger cellmate. Through flashbacks, viewers witness the horrors of the boarding house on F Street in Sacramento, CA, where Puente murdered and buried multiple vulnerable and elderly residents to cash in their Social Security benefits.

Dorothea is a unique take on a true crime case. While many true crime dramatizations create horror through violence and gore, Dorothea evokes horror through the sheer coldness, manipulation, and deceptive nature of its protagonist. Priver plays the role to perfection, presenting a cold-blooded killer parading behind the warm persona of a grandmotherly figure. Dorothea isn’t the most accurate or serious title on this list, but like Woman of the Hour (2024), it’s entertaining and captures the chilling nature of true crime without resorting to gratuitous violence. 

Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story is based on the case of Lizzie Borden, who was suspected of killing her father and stepmother. Although Borden isn’t a female serial killer, the season imagines that Borden was inspired by suspected serial killer Elizabeth Báthory (Vicky Krieps). In turn, it suggests Borden inspired convicted serial killer Aileen Wuornos (Sarah Paulson). Although there’s no evidence of such influence, it’s intriguing to imagine these women passing down their legacies, a grisly baton, to one another.

Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story is a highly fictionalized account of Borden, Wuornos, and Báthory, but is entertaining, nonetheless. Featuring secret affairs, family dysfunction, and hypothetical, almost spiritual connections between female serial killers, it takes an intriguing gothic horror tone. Edgy, dark, and disturbing, it’s an excellent watch for fans of Murphy's work, such as The Watcher (2022) and American Horror Stories (2021).

Black Widow Murders: The Blanche Taylor Moore Story (1993) is a TV film that dramatizes the true story of suspected serial killer Blanche Taylor Moore (Elizabeth Montgomery). The film follows Blanche, who garners authorities' attention when, shortly after her boyfriend dies from a mysterious ailment, her new husband is hospitalized with similar symptoms. It’s a fairly accurate telling of the case, in which Moore was convicted of fatally poisoning her boyfriend and suspected of also poisoning and killing her father, first husband, and mother-in-law.

While Black Widow Murders: The Blanche Taylor Moore Story is a rather straightforward retelling, it’s framed well, making it tense, informative, and intriguing. Montgomery is quite terrifying as Moore, capturing her simmering rage and off-putting countenance. Fans who loved Montgomery as Lizzie Borden in The Legend of Lizzie Borden (1975) won’t want to miss her equally chilling performance in Black Widow Murders: The Blanche Taylor Moore Story.