Versace Family Rips FX's 'The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story' as 'Work of Fiction'

"The Versace family has neither authorized nor had any involvement whatsoever in the forthcoming TV series about the death of Mr. Gianni Versace," the brand told PEOPLE. "Since Versace did not authorize the book on which it is partly based nor has it taken part in the writing of the screenplay, this TV series should only be considered as a work of fiction."

The series is based on Maureen Orth's book, "Vulgar Favors: Andrew Cunanan, Gianni Versace, and the Largest Failed Manhunt in U.S. History" and opens with the designer's brutal murder by serial killer Andrew Cunanan.

While Versace's name is in the title, most of the episodes focus more on Cunanan and the four victims he killed before shooting the designer in Miami on July 15, 1997. Edgar Ramirez stars as Versace, Darren Criss as Cunanan and Penelope Cruz as Donatella Versace.

At the show's panel during the 2018 TCAs, EPs Tom Rob Smith and Nina Jacobson said they considered using Cunanan's name in the title, but didn't want to glamorize the murderer.

"We wanted to explore between Versace and Cunanan the story of a creator, who is an authentic, honest person drawing on his history, heritage and family and creating from the inside out and another person who goes on a path of destruction because he's on the outside without the work or the talent, and can't tell the truth about who he is," Jacobson added.

"The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story" premieres January 11 on FX.