Aileen Wuornos: American Boogeywoman is a 2021 American horror thriller film written and directed by Daniel Farrands. It shows a fictionalized version of the early life of serial killer Aileen Wuornos, with some real facts from her biography. It stars Peyton List as Wuornos, supporting cast includes Tobin Bell, Lydia Hearst, Nick Vallelonga, Swen Temmel, and Andrew Biernat.
The film was released as video-on-demand on October 8, 2021, and on DVD on October 15, 2021.
Premise
The film is based on the early life of Aileen Wuornos in 1976 when she married wealthy yacht club commodore Lewis Fell, only to inflict mayhem within her new family and Florida's high society.
Cast
Peyton List as Aileen Wuornos
Tobin Bell as Lewis Fell, Wuornos' husband
Lydia Hearst as Jennifer Fell
Nick Vallelonga as Victor Miller
Swen Temmel as Grady Miller
Andrew Biernat as Mitch Miller
Meadow Williams as Diane Pittman
Joseph Schwartz as Keith
Ashley Atwood as older Aileen
Hamish Sturgeon as Peter
Production
In March 2021, it was announced that Voltage Pictures acquired distribution rights to the film. Daniel Farrands, who directed the films Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman and The Haunting of Sharon Tate, became the project's director; Peyton List was cast in the lead role of a young Wuornos.
Release and reception
Release
The film was scheduled for a theatrical release in the United States on September 20, 2021, by Fathom Events, but the release was canceled.
The film was released as video-on-demand on October 8, 2021, and on DVD on October 15, 2021, via Dark Star Pictures. It was shown at the Screamfest Horror Film Festival on October 13, 2021.
Critical reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a rating of 20%, based on 5 reviews, with an average rating of 3.1/10. Brian Orndorf of Blu-ray.com gave the film 2 stars out of 10: "It’s crude exploitation from a one-note helmer who keeps trying to make his mark as some type of master of true crime fiction [...] This is really just horrible B-moviemaking."