Netflix’s chilling crime anthology series Monster is back—and this time, it’s digging into the twisted true story that haunted a generation and redefined horror forever. Titled Monster: The Ed Gein Story, Season 3 of the acclaimed anthology is created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, the minds behind Dahmer and The Watcher. This chapter promises to be the darkest yet, with Charlie Hunnam stepping into the terrifying role of Ed Gein—arguably the most influential killer in American pop culture history.
Set in 1950s rural Wisconsin, the series explores Gein’s life, crimes, and the eerie domestic dynamic he shared with his domineering mother, Augusta, portrayed by Laurie Metcalf in what’s already being hyped as a powerhouse performance. Gein’s deeply unsettling relationship with Augusta formed the psychological blueprint for a string of fictional killers—from Psycho’s Norman Bates to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’s Leatherface and even The Silence of the Lambs’ Buffalo Bill.
In a brilliant stroke of metatextual storytelling, Tom Hollander and Olivia Williams portray Alfred Hitchcock and Alma Reville, drawing a direct line between Gein’s crimes and Psycho’s creation. Hitchcock, fascinated by Gein’s story, transformed it into cinematic legend—making his inclusion here both symbolic and narratively vital.
The ensemble cast brings both prestige and pop: Addison Rae plays Evelyn Hartley, a real-life teenager who vanished in 1953, potentially linking her case to Gein. Rising talents like Suzanna Son and Charlie Hall join seasoned actors like Lesley Manville (as Bernice Worden, one of Gein’s known victims), Robin Weigert, and Mimi Kennedy, while cult horror gets a nod through Will Brill as Texas Chain Saw Massacre director Tobe Hooper, further blurring the line between real terror and its cinematic shadow.
With Joey Pollari as Psycho star Anthony Perkins and Vicky Krieps portraying infamous Nazi war criminal Ilse Koch, the series appears to juxtapose Gein’s pathology with other icons of real and fictional horror—an ambitious, layered take that expands beyond the traditional true crime format.
As with previous seasons, Monster: The Ed Gein Story won’t just recount the crimes—it will dissect the cultural aftermath, media obsession, and ethical questions of transforming trauma into entertainment. With Ryan Murphy’s signature blend of style, shock, and social commentary, this season could become the most provocative and psychologically rich installment yet.
Check Out The Teaser:-