'The Assassination Of Gianni Versace' Red Band Trailer Reveals The Latest 'American Crime Story'

You don't often see a red band trailer for a TV show, but The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story clearly has no intention of being your average, run-of-the-mill television series. The Assassination of Gianni Versace red band trailer offers a new, unflinching look at the dark new season of American Crime Story, set to premiere January 17 on FX.

This week, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story will present the story of slain fashion designer Gianni Versace and Andrew Cunanan, the killer who took his life. It's the latest entry in the true crime anthology series, developed by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, along side executive producers Brad Falchuk, Nina Jacobson, Ryan Murphy, and Brad Simpson. Season 1, The People v. O. J. Simpson, ended up being one of the very best TV shows of 2016. Will The Assassination of Gianni Versace follow in its footsteps? It's still too early to tell, but this intense new The Assassination of Gianni Versace red band trailer certainly hints at something worth watching.

The Assassination of Gianni Versace red band trailer

In 1997, fashion designer Gianni Versace was shot and killed on the steps of his Florida mansion by spree killer Andrew Cunanan. That murder, and the events that followed, are the focus of this latest season, which is adapted from the  Maureen Orth book Vulgar Favors: Andrew Cunanan, Gianni Versace, and the Largest Failed Manhunt in U. S. History. The Assassination of Gianni Versace stars Édgar Ramírez as Versace, Penélope Cruz as Versace's sister Donatella Versace, Ricky Martin as Versace's boyfriend Antonio D'Amico, and Darren Criss as Andrew Cunanan.

While Versace's name is in the title, early reviews indicate the series is primarily focused on Cunanan, with Versace and his life featured only sparingly in the background – a fact this trailer seems to confirm. That might be for the best, since the Versace family has voiced understandable complaints about the series. "The Versace family has neither authorized nor had any involvement whatsoever in the forthcoming TV series about the death of Mr. Gianni Versace," the family said in a statement. "Since Versace did not authorize the book on which it is partly based nor has it taken part in the writing of the screenplay, this TV series should only be considered as a work of fiction."

FX responded with the following:

"Like the original American Crime Story series "The People Vs OJ Simpson," which was based on Jeffrey Toobin's non-fiction bestseller "The Run of His Life," FX's follow-up "The Assassination Of Gianni Versace" is based on Maureen Orth's heavily researched and authenticated non-fiction best seller "Vulgar Favors" which examined the true life crime spree of Andrew Cunanan. We stand by the meticulous reporting of Ms. Orth."

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story debuts on FX Wednesday, January 17.