Robert Greenblatt will tackle Penn State fraternity death in new Hulu limited series

Death At Penn State, based on a 2017 The Atlantic piece by Caitlin Flanagan, chronicles the death of 18-year-old Timothy Piazza during a party at his fraternity

By Hattie Lindert | October 10, 2022 | 4:12pm

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Robert Greenblatt will tackle Penn State fraternity death in new Hulu limited series

Penn State’s Beaver Stadium Photo: Patrick Smith

An untimely Penn State fraternity death is the subject of former Warner Bros. and NBC head Robert Greenblatt’s next project, a limited series at Hulu. The series, titled Death At Penn State, is based on a deftly reported and thoughtfully told 2017 The Atlantic article by Caitlin Flanagan.

Death At Penn State arrives as part of Greenblatt’s first-look deal with Lionsgate Television, per The Hollywood Reporter. The series will chronicle the 2017 death of 18-year-old Timothy Piazza, a new recruit at Penn State’s Beta Theta Pi fraternity. Piazza died due to a fractured skull and lacerated spleen, injuries he received during an initiation night at Beta Theta Pi.

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After he was pressured by brothers to consume at least 18 drinks in 82 minutes, Piazza fell headfirst 15 feet down a flight of stairs, per Penn State newspaper The Daily Collegian. It wasn’t until 12 hours later, after brothers had already struck Piazza in the face and abdomen, that they called 911. Piazza was pronounced dead on February 3, 2017. At the time of his death, he had a blood alcohol content of between 0.27-0.35.

Greenblatt says that, moved by Flanagan’s “human” feature piece, his gears immediately began turning on how to offer Piazza a respectful elegy, and give an imperative story on-screen legs.

“I thought this is a story that needs to be told and I knew immediately,” he shares. “It’s a hard look at a terrible tragedy. Not only would this be a compelling drama but it could have some effect on the situation. I just started to think about how to do it sensitively and who we could sell it to, and it started there.”

Piazza’s parents Evelyn and Jim have given the project their blessing and elucidated some of their thoughts in a joint statement to THR.

“We are grateful and fully supportive of Lionsgate and Hulu taking on this project related to our son’s tragic and very preventable death,” the Piazzas shared. “Given the reckless and deplorable behavior of fraternity members and their advisors, the lack of oversight by the University and the National Fraternity and the ongoing criminal and civil proceedings that continue five plus years later, we feel this is a story that must be told to prevent similar incidents from happening to another young man (or woman) and their family.”