Harrison Ford tapped to play Durham’s Mike Peterson in new ‘Staircase’ series

DURHAM, N.C. (Brooke Cain/News & Observer) - Variety reports that Harrison Ford has been tapped to play Durham writer Michael Peterson in a new adaptation of the true crime documentary series “The Staircase.”

“The Staircase,” available on Netflix, tells the story of Michael Peterson’s murder trial in the death of his wife Kathleen, who was found in a pool of blood at the bottom of the back staircase in the couple’s Durham home in December 2001.

Peterson was found guilty in 2003 but granted a new trial after SBI misconduct was revealed. He took an Alford plea in 2017 and was released. He has been living in Durham ever since, and earlier this year independently published the book “Behind the Staircase,” which chronicles his life since Kathleen’s death, including his time in prison (the book is available for purchase through Amazon in paperback or Kindle form).

On Thursday, Peterson told The News & Observer that he was “VERY FLATTERED to have Harrison Ford portray me,” but then joked, “I would have preferred Brad Pitt.”

The new “Staircase” project is currently being shopped to networks and streaming services, according to Variety, with Ford attached to executive produce and star in the series. Variety says that Antonio Campos will write and executive produce the Annapurna Television production.