What Inspired Netflix's Latest Thriller, "The Weekend Away"

The upcoming Netflix thriller movie "The Weekend Away" premieres March 3 and is set to have viewers on the edge of their seat with a plot packed with unexpected twists and turns. The series, based on the acclaimed novel of the same name by Sarah Alderson, centers around two friends, Beth (Leighton Meester) and Kate (Christina Wolfe), who take a trip to Croatia for a weekend getaway. The trip starts off great with the two enjoying themselves and partying at a club, but the following morning, Kate goes missing, and all eyes are on Beth.

As Beth becomes the authorities' prime suspect in Kate's disappearance, she must retrace her steps to discover what really happened to her best friend and clear her name. The nature of Kate's disappearance will lead the characters to question everything they knew and make changes in how they approach life.

The storyline of "The Weekend Away" sounds like it could definitely be based on a true-crime event that happened in real life, which has left many wondering if any elements of the series are true. While "The Weekend Away" is not based on a true story, the story itself was inspired by pieces of author Sarah Alderson's life. Let's break down the inspiration behind the upcoming thriller.

Sarah Alderson was inspired to write her thriller novel "The Weekend Away" following a trip to Lisbon with her real-life best friend. While their trip did not have the same tragic fate as the one in her novel, she nonetheless wanted to tell a story about the significance of a true friendship in life. The author told My Imperfect Life that she wanted to relay this significance in both her book and the upcoming movie, saying, "Female friends have saved me so many times... I really treasure my friendships, and I wanted that to come across in the movie."

The theme of friendship is particularly strong in the novel and is further explored and brought to life in the movie. Inspired by her own experience, Alderson touched on the elusive and unpredictable nature of early adulthood, which can often force us to break out of our comfort zone and try something new. The author elaborated on this theme, telling My Imperfect Life, "The choices you make in your 20s and 30s can sometimes feel like they're the ones that define you for the rest of your life, you know? I think I was trying to suggest that it's OK to question and maybe make changes."

What will all of this look like in the show? The official trailer hints that as Beth unravels the truth, she'll uncover a slippery slope of lies and deception.

Though not based on a true story, the storyline of "The Weekend Away" will be nonetheless impactful to viewers, with themes that dig deep into our own humanity.

The movie is set to premiere on Netflix on March 3, 2022, at 3 a.m. EST.