Fans are curious whether the upcoming Hulu series, The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox, is based on a true story. This crime drama features Grace Van Patten in the lead role as Amanda Knox. With its release on August 20, 2025, the series has already attracted the attention of crime drama enthusiasts.

Here’s what we know about the story so far.

Is Hulu’s The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox based on a true story?

Yes, Hulu’s The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox is based on a real incident.

Amanda Knox was an exchange student in Perugia, Italy, in 2007. She was wrongfully accused of murdering her roommate, Meredith Kercher, after Kercher was found dead in their apartment.

What is the real-world incident that inspired The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox?

Knox shared an apartment with Kercher while studying in Perugia. On November 1, 2007, Kercher was discovered dead in her room, having been sexually assaulted and stabbed to death (via The New York Times).

After finding Kercher’s body, Amanda Knox and her then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, were arrested and interrogated without legal representation. During questioning, Knox falsely accused her employer, Patrick Lumumba, of being involved in the murder. Lumumba was jailed for two weeks before police proved his innocence and cleared him. This shifted attention back to Knox and Sollecito, who were then officially charged with Meredith Kercher’s murder.

Later, Rudy Guede, a known drug dealer, was arrested after his DNA was found at the crime scene. Despite Guede’s arrest, Knox and Sollecito remained on trial.

During the trial, Knox was sentenced to 28 and a half years in prison. When the case went to the appeal court in 2010, experts argued that evidence might have been contaminated. The alleged murder weapon did not contain Kercher’s or Knox’s DNA, and lapses in forensic procedures were highlighted. The court eventually found the couple not guilty, and they were released from prison in 2011.

Years later, Amanda Knox returned to Italy and spoke about how the media distorted her image and what it was like to endure the trial.