Netflix Limited Series About Creepy Westfield 'Watcher' House Begins Production

WESTFIELD, NJ — By now, Westfield's most recent epic true crime story is well known: In 2014, a couple, Maria and Derek Broaddus, bought a house on a quiet street in Westfield, the town where Maria had grown up. They hoped to raise their three children there, but received threatening letters until they sold the house in 2019 — and to this day, no one knows who wrote the "Watcher" missives.

Now, a creep-tastic Netflix limited series about the ordeal — called "The Watcher" — is starting production. It stars Naomi Watts and Bobby Cannavale as the couple, and is produced by Ryan Murphy of "Glee" and "American Horror Story" fame.

This week, a Twitter account dedicated to Murphy posted:

"We're going to start shooting soon. It's exciting," Naomi Watts said in an article last month.

A post in a private Westfield Facebook earlier this week suggested filming had begun in Westfield, at least of some scenes. The post also stirred discussions that showed that residents are still divided about what happened.

"Netflix is using my house and the one across the way for filming," said a man posting in the group this week. But he added that most of the filming is in Rye, N.Y.

The post elicited much debate.

"First John List, now the Watcher…. can’t Westfield come up with a non-creepy story?" responded one woman.

Another said he doubted that the letters were real, prompting someone to write, "The family grew up in Westfield, still lives in Westfield, and is a part of our community. Be respectful."

"I’m happy for the family that bought this house," wrote another. "...they did a beautiful job with the paint and landscaping."

A spokesperson for the mayor's office said Thursday that Town Hall was unaware of any filming in town, and that no permits were granted for the series.

"Permits may be required to film on private property, depending on the circumstances of the project and its impact on the neighborhood," said Kim Forde.

• See Related: 'The Watcher' Home Saga Continues; Former Owners Seeking Damages
• See Related: Westfield 'Watcher' Lawsuit Won't Be Dismissed, Judge Rules
• See Related: Westfield 'Watcher' Home Is For Sale Again

Up until a report that was published online in The Cut in 2018, only a handful of phrases from The Watcher's letters were known to the public. When the full accounting of the text was revealed, Patch assembled a list of ten things that creeped us out the most.

The tale took multiple cinematic twists, as Derek Broaddus told New York Magazine in a story published online by The Cut that on Christmas Eve, he stuffed the stockings of former neighbors with notes of his own.

According to the story, several families who had been vocal in criticizing the family over their handling of the Watcher letters received hand delivered messages accusing them of speculating inaccurately about the Broaddus family.

The missives included stories about recent acts of domestic terrorism, allusions to mental illness, and were signed "Friends of the Broaddus Family," the story says.

Like the Watcher letters, the story notes that the missives were packed with "simmering resentment" and anonymous.

Until Derek Broaddus admitted to New York Magazine's Reeves Wiedeman he had written them. Broaddus told Wideman he wasn't proud of it and said they were the only anonymous letters he'd written and felt driven to his wit's end, fed up with watching silently as people threw accusations at his family based on "practically nothing."

However Netflix decides to spin the tale, the story of the Westfield Watcher may finally have what so many have guessed at, an ending.

Don't miss Westfield breaking news alerts when they are announced, or get a free daily newsletter each morning with Westfield news. Sign up with your preferences here.

Got news? Email caren.lissner@patch.com. Got photos? Please include express written permission from the photographer for us to use them. To be the first to get free news alerts with breaking stories in your town, or to get a free local newsletter each morning, sign up for Patch breaking news alerts or daily newsletters.