FX Sets The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Premiere Date

FX’s American Crime Story limited series made quite a splash with its award-winning first season, and the anthology’s second installment has received an early-2018 premiere date. The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story will debut on FX on Jan. 17, 2018, at 10 p.m. EDT/PDT, the network announced today, running for 10 episodes.

The date is set. The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story premieres January 17 on @FXNetworks. #ACSVersace pic.twitter.com/aP9kINTTAO

— AmericanCrimeStoryFX (@ACSFX) November 1, 2017

The docudrama series stars Penelope Cruz as Gianni’s younger sister, designer Donatella Versace, Ricky Martin as Gianni’s longtime partner Antonio D’Amico and Darren Criss (Glee) as Andrew Cunanan, Gianni’s killer. Edgar Ramirez (Bright) will portray Gianni Versace himself.

Versace’s first concrete details came out during the show’s panel at TCA 2017. Based on the book Vulgar Favors by Maureen Orth, the show will explore the events that led to the 1997 murder of its eponymous iconic fashion designer. In fact, Versace’s opening scene follows Gianni Versace and Cunanan on the morning of the killing. “We shot exactly on the exact step where he died,” said Ryan Murphy at TCA. “The first episode obviously deals with the literal murder, assassination itself. And then we tell the story in reverse. So we really get into how [Cunanan ] had that motive, and why he wanted to do what he wanted to do.”

Versace’s executive producers include Murphy, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, Brad Falchuk, Alexis Martin Woodall, Dan Minahan and Tom Rob Smith. Smith wrote the series, while Murphy directed the premiere episode.

When American Crime Story was first renewed for a third season last October, Katrina was slated to be the anthology series’ second installment. The show’s Hurricane Katrina-centric season was later replaced by Versace after issues with scheduling and special effects delayed production. Katrina is expected to begin shooting in spring 2018, targeting a 2019 release.

American Crime Story’s first season, The People v. O.J. Simpson, was one of last year’s most acclaimed shows, winning a whopping nine Emmys (out of 22 nominations) and landing near the top of Paste’s list of the best TV shows of 2016. The season’s story was based on Jeffrey Toobin’s book The Run of His Life: The People v. O.J. Simpson.

According to Variety, an undated future installment of American Crime Story will focus on the Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky sex scandal. That season will be based on Toobin’s A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President.

Watch FX’s new teaser for Versace: American Crime Story below, plus a couple of preceding teasers further down.