It appeared without warning. It vanished just as fast. The Gabby Petito movie had the most baffling Netflix debut in recent memory — live for less than 24 hours before being silently pulled from the platform. Here’s everything that happened and where you can still watch it.
The Gabby Petito Story: Key Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Movie Title | The Gabby Petito Story |
| Focus Keyword | Gabby Petito Movie |
| Originally Aired | October 1, 2022 (Lifetime) |
| Netflix Added | August 27, 2025 |
| Netflix Removed | August 28, 2025 (within 24 hours) |
| Runtime | 1 hour 27 minutes |
| Lead Cast | Skyler Samuels, Evan Hall, Thora Birch |
| Where to Watch Now | Lifetime Movie Club |
| Netflix Docu-Series | American Murder: Gabby Petito (still available) |
What Is the Gabby Petito Movie About?
The film’s synopsis reads: “The disappearance of Gabby Petito captured America’s attention, setting off a nationwide search for the 22-year-old travel blogger, when she failed to return home following her cross-country ‘van-life’ trip with her fiancé.”
The dramatization portrays the real-life events surrounding — a case that gripped the world in 2021 when the young travel influencer went missing and was later found murdered in Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming. Her fiancé Brian Laundrie was later confirmed as her killer before dying by suicide in October 2021.
Cast of The Gabby Petito Story
The film stars Skyler Samuels (The Gifted, Scream Queens) as Gabby Petito, Evan Hall (Orange Is the New Black) as Brian Laundrie, and Thora Birch (American Beauty, Ghost World) as Gabby’s mother Nichole Schmidt.
Why Was It Pulled from Netflix So Fast?
The movie was added to Netflix US on August 27, 2025, but removed within less than 24 hours — with no explanation from Netflix. Users on Reddit reported errors when trying to access it, and navigating to the movie’s page simply redirected to the homepage. Speculation points to potential licensing complications or undisclosed legal concerns, but Netflix has not officially commented.
The Bigger Gabby Petito Picture on Netflix
While the Gabby Petito movie is gone, Netflix still offers something far more impactful. The three-part docu-series American Murder: Gabby Petito — made with participation from Gabby’s parents — debuted at number one on Netflix charts and has since accumulated over 120.6 million hours of viewing, making it one of the most-watched documentaries in Netflix history for the first half of 2025.
That documentary remains available on Netflix and is the far more authoritative and respectful way to understand the case.
For more Netflix updates, true crime content, and streaming guides, head over to TechnoSports.
