Lifetime To Air Gabby Petito Movie

BLUE POINT, NY — The Lifetime television network will air a movie about Gabby Petito starring actress Thora Birch as Petito's mother, Nichole Schmidt, according to a news release.

The film, which is part of Lifetime’s Stop Violence Against Women public affairs initiative, has the working title of "The Gabby Petito Story," but the role of Petito has not been cast.

Lifetime is expected to create a new Public Service Announcement to debut "as part of the movie’s rollout, driving to the important work of the network’s coalition of partners to provide resources for women," the news release states.

The film will explore the complicated relationship of Gabby and her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, "and what may have gone wrong during their cross-country trip that resulted in Gabby’s tragic murder," the release states. The movie will be filmed in Utah over the summer and will premiere later this year.

"As the one-year anniversary of her tragic death approaches, the movie will bring to life Gabby and Brian’s doomed love story, including the warning signs that Gabby’s life was in danger, the ensuing search for her, the eventual discovery of her murder and ultimately, Brian’s suicide," the news release states.

Petito, a 22-year-old native Blue Pointer, disappeared in August 2021 while on a cross-country trip with Laundrie, who returned to his parents' home in Florida in her van on Sept. 1, but without her. After a frantic interstate search, involving multiple law enforcement agencies, Petito was found strangled to death near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming on Sept. 19 — eight days after she was reported missing by her mother.

Laundrie’s remains were found in a Florida swamp, as well as a note in which he admitted his responsibility for her death.

Lifetime is also developing several movies about domestic violence against women who may not have had the same media attention as Petito. They include the stories of Carlesha Freeland-Gaither, Adriane Fields, Beatrice Weston, as well as others, with each project in various stages of development.

Petito's family has previously stated that not enough attention has been placed on missing person cases. Shortly after Petito's death was confirmed they announced the formation of The Gabby Petito Foundation with the aim to help families with missing loved ones, as well as the victims of domestic violence.

"The Gabby Petito Story" will be produced for Lifetime by Hybrid. It is written by Gregory Small and Richard Blaney of "Gone Mom, Jodi Arias: Dirty Little Secret" fame and will be directed by Birch.

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