The Murder of Stephen Lawrence


The Murder of Stephen Lawrence is a single British television true crime drama film, written and directed by Paul Greengrass, that first broadcast on ITV on 18 February 1999.
The film, based on the murder committed on 22 April 1993, follows Stephen's parents' Doreen and Neville's quest for justice as a gang of racists are tried for their son's murder. Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Hugh Quarshie star as Doreen and Neville, with Leon Black playing Stephen, and Ashley Walters, Millicent Gezi, Joseph Kpobie and Brian Bovell also amongst the main cast.

Production

The film was first conceived in 1997, with then head of drama at ITV, Nick Elliott, commissioning the project before a script had even been written. Producer Mark Readhead said a key part of the film was to "concentrate on the personal, rather than police, procedures", in order to create a "true story". The film was notable for being actress Jean-Baptiste's first British screen role since her Oscar nomination for Secrets and Lies.

Cast

The film was released on VHS in the United States on 23 April 2002, but this remains the only home release.

Legacy and sequel

In the wake of various Black Lives Matter protests, and as part of ITV's "Black Voices" strand, the drama was repeated on ITV in July 2020, immediately after an hour-long debate programme, Stephen Lawrence: Has Britain Changed?.
In July 2020, it was announced that a new, three-part sequel to the 1999 drama, had been commissioned by ITV. The series will be set 13 years after the black teenager was killed and will depict his parents’ fight for justice.