Netflix has unveiled the first look at Charlie Hunnam as infamous serial killer Ed Gein in Monster: The Ed Gein Story, the third season of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s true-crime anthology. The series will premiere on October 3, 2025.
Gein, often referred to as the “Butcher of Plainfield,” committed murders and grave robberies in 1950s Wisconsin. His crimes later inspired iconic horror characters including Norman Bates in Psycho, Leatherface in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs.
Promotional posters show Hunnam in a red plaid jacket with a chainsaw, styled with Gein’s distinctive comb-over hairstyle. The tagline reads: “Before all those horrific tales, there was Ed.” Filming began in November 2024 in Chicago, where Hunnam was spotted on set.
The season explores Gein’s life, from his isolated upbringing and fixation on his mother Augusta (played by Laurie Metcalf) to his descent into violence. The cast includes Tom Hollander as Alfred Hitchcock, Olivia Williams as Alma Reville, Suzanna Son, Vicky Krieps, Addison Rae, and Charlie Hall as Deputy Frank Worden, whose mother was Gein’s last known victim.
Murphy described the season as both a crime story and a study of mental health, highlighting Gein’s likely undiagnosed schizophrenia. The show examines how Gein became one of the first “celebrity serial killers,” shaping both horror cinema and true-crime culture.
Previous seasons of Monster include The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, which surpassed 1 billion viewing hours in 60 days, and The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. The new season is directed by Max Winkler and Ian Brennan.
