'Love & Death' on HBO Max finally has a release date—and an eerie new trailer

'Love & Death,' HBO Max's answer to Hulu's 'Candy' will be here sooner than you think

Elizabeth Olsen, Love and Death, HBO Max's portrayal of the Candy Montgomery crimes
(Image credit: HBO Max)

Everyone wants a piece of Candy. Love & Death, HBO Max's fictionalized retelling of the Candy Montgomery saga, will hit our screens this spring. 

One of the most buzz-worthy shows of 2022, Candy had true crime fans hooked from the get-go, and naturally, it left viewers with plenty of questions: Why did Candy Montgomery kill Betty? Where is Candy Montgomery today? What really happened all those years ago? 

Once again, streamers are revisiting the notorious story. 

"It doesn't really matter if this happened 200 years ago, 40 years ago—when there's something that puzzles us about human behavior that we can't quite understand [and] don't have all the answers to, we find it interesting," Elizabeth Olsen, who will take on the role of Mrs. Montgomery, told Entertainment Weekly

Everyone's dying for a sneak peek of the Marvel actor as the axe-wielding Texas housewife, but when will the series be released? Fortunately, HBO Max has delivered an update—and a pretty eerie new trailer. 

'Love & Death' HBO Max: everything you need to know

When is the 'Love & Death' release date?

Love & Death will premiere on HBO Max on April 27, 2023. The first three episodes will be available immediately, and each episode will be released weekly on Thursdays through May 25. You can take a look at Olsen in the role below. 

What is 'Love & Death' about?

HBO Max's miniseries will follow Jim Atkinson and John Bloom's Evidence of Love: A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs, as well as Texas Monthly articles about the Montgomery case. 

For the uninitiated, Candy met fellow congregant Betty Gore at church of all places, and an instant friendship blossomed between the two. They met regularly for family get-togethers and playdates with their young children. Nothing seems very suspicious, at least at first. 

Montgomery's affair with Allan Gore changed everything. Betty had approached her so-called friend about the affair, and subsequently, Candy stabbed the wife and mother 41 times with a three-foot-long axe—not exactly the standard church story we're accustomed to hearing. 

The Candy Montgomery trial was telling—Gore wasn't her only adulterous connection—but its conclusion was hard for many people to believe. Candy Montgomery today is a free woman, having been acquitted of murder on October 29, 1980.

Who is starring in 'Love & Death' on HBO Max?

Elizabeth Olsen is taking on the lead role in this new project from David E. Kelley, Nicole Kidman and Lionsgate Television. In her EW interview, she revealed that the series "wasn't leaning into this true-crime element, but [was] more about a profile of a woman with a set of really high-stakes circumstances."

Here's who's appearing alongside Olsen: 

  • Lily Rabe as Betty Gore
  • Krysten Ritter as Sherry Cleckler
  • Jesse Plemons as Allan Gore
  • Tom Pelphrey as Don Crowder
  • Patrick Fugit as Patrick Montgomery 
  • Keir Gilchrist as Ron Adams
  • Fabiola Andújar as Mary Adams
  • Elizabeth Marvel as Jackie Ponder
  • Brian d'Arcy James as Fred Fason
  • Aaron Jay Rome as Richard Garlington
  • Drew Waters as Jerry McMahan
  • Mackenzie Astin as Tom O' Connell
  • Bruce McGill as Tom Ryan

Elizabeth Olsen in Love and Death on HBO Max

(Image credit: HBO Max)

In the meantime, if you're looking for a chilling story to sink your teeth into, we've rounded up the best true crime documentaries across streamers—from Conversations with a Killer to The Inventor: Out for Blood—that will surely provide a harrowing watch.

Danielle Valente
Digital News Writer

Need a TV show recommendation? Maybe a few decor tips? Danielle, a digital news writer at Future, has you covered. Her work appears throughout the company’s lifestyle brands, including My Imperfect Life, Real Homes, and woman&home. Mainly, her time is spent at My Imperfect Life, where she’s attuned to the latest entertainment trends and dating advice for Gen Z.


Before her time at Future, Danielle was the editor of Time Out New York Kids, where she got to experience the best of the city from the point of view of its littlest residents. Before that, she was a news editor at Elite Daily. Her work has also appeared in Domino, Chowhound, and amNewYork, to name a few. 


When Danielle’s not writing, you can find her testing out a new recipe, reading a book (suggestions always welcome), or rearranging the furniture in her apartment…again.