Colin Firth lands lead in HBO Max's limited series 'The Staircase'

March 31 (UPI) -- Oscar-winning actor Colin Firth is set to star in The Staircase, an eight-episode limited series for HBO Max.

Firth will play U.S. novelist Michael Peterson in the show, which is a dramatization of the true-crime docu-series about the mysterious 2001 death of Peterson's wife, Kathleen Peterson.

Six of the episodes will be directed by Antonio Campos (The Devil All the Time.) He is also writing and executive producing the project with co-showrunner Maggie Cohn (American Crime Story.)

"It is a thrill to collaborate with Antonio Campos, Maggie Cohn and Annapurna Television for the exploration of this true-life story that's rife with dramatic revelations. With the enormously talented Colin Firth at the center of this adaptation, the story of The Staircase will continue to captivate audiences with every bizarre twist and turn," Sarah Aubrey, head of original content for the streaming service, said in a statement Wednesday.

Firth is known for his roles in Pride & Prejudice, Bridget Jones's Diary, Love Actually and The King's Speech.

Peterson's books include A Time of War, A Bitter Peace and Charlie Two Shoes and the Marines of Love Company.