Ryan Murphy’s controversial true crime anthology series,Monster, has been renewed for a third season on Netflix, andThe Original Monsteris tackling the terrifying case of Ed Gein. Launching in 2022 withDahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, the series highlights a notorious true crime story from American history each season, and dramatizes real-life events with Murphy’s signature over-the-top style. Season 1 was a smash-hit for Netflix, and though it garnered a fair amount of jeers for its tasteless content, a second season followed in 2024 that told the story of Erik and Lyle Menendez.
The controversies surroundingDahmerdidn’t deflate its humongous viewership numbers, and it started a dialogue about the ethics of dramatized true crime content. Ryan Murphy has rarely missed in the sphere of TV, and the ongoing success ofMonsterproves that his anthology approach continues to be successful many years after the debut ofAmerican Horror Story.Season 2 ofMonster(calledMonsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story) temporarily refocused the true crime series, but the confirmed third season is once again telling the story of one of the world’s most notorious serial killers.
Quick Links
All Ryan Murphy Shows Ranked Worst To Best
From smash-hit musical series Glee to American Horror Story to his Netflix shows, Ryan Murphy has created many impressive shows. What are the best?
Monster Season 3: The Latest News About The Original Monster
A New Cast Member Joins The Original Monster
A few months after production got underway on the third season of the anthology series, the latest news confirmsa new cast member has joined Monster season 3. Perhaps best known for her breakout role as Strawberry in Sean Baker’sRed Rocket,Suzanna Son is set to play an as-yet-unknown role inThe Original Monster. Son joins an ensemble that is already stuffed with starpower with Charlie Hunnam playing Ed Gein, and Laurie Metcalf portraying Gein’s mother, Augusta.
2022
57%
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
2024
45%
N/A
TheMonsterseries didn’t have to wait long to earn a third season, and Netflix renewed it for more episodes days before season 2 even debuted. Along with that news,it was also revealed thatThe Original Monsterwill tell the story of gruesome 1950s serial killer Ed Geinwho, ironically, also hailed from Wisconsin (the home state of season 1’s subject, Jeffrey Dahmer). On top of that, Netflix also announced thatSons of Anarchystar Charlie Hunnam had been tapped to play Gein in season 3. Shooting began, appropriately enough, on Halloween 2024.
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Storydebuted on June 21, 2025.
Monster Season 3: Cast Details For The Original Monster
Charlie Hunnam Will Play Ed Gein
Gein’s life and crimes span several decades, and it may require a massive ensemble to tell the story properly.
Leading a season ofMonsteris never easy, and thoughfrequent Ryan Murphy collaborator Evan Peterswon acclaim for his portrayal of Jeffrey Dahmer, it wasn’t without its controversies as well. This will likely carry over intoThe Original Monster, whereCharlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy) has been tapped to play serial killer Ed Gein. Joining Hunnam isLaurie Metcalf (The Conners) who will play Gein’s domineering mother, Augusta. Gein’s life and crimes span several decades, and it may require a massive ensemble to tell the story properly.
In an interesting twist,Tom Hollander has been cast as iconic director Alfred Hitchcock, who famously adapted Robert Bloch’s novelPsycho,which is loosely based on Gein’s crimes. Joining Hollander isOlivia Williams (The Crown) who will play Hitchcock’s wife and longtime creative collaborator, Alma.Red RocketandThe Idolstar Suzanna Son has been cast in an unknown role, but it’s possible that she could be playingPsychostar Janet Leigh.
Monster Season 3: The Original Monster Story Details
One Of The World’s Most Notorious Serial Killers
Though the first two seasons ofMonstertackled big cases,The Original Monsteris stepping back in time to cover one of the most infamous crimes in world history.Season 3 will tell the story of 1950s Wisconsin serial killer Ed Geinwho, across several decades, exhumed dozens of recently-buried bodies in order to make keepsakes from their remains. Gein’s rural Wisconsin farmhouse became a literal house of horrors when police arrested him in 1957 for the murder of local store owner Bernice Worden.
Gein was later linked to the murder of Mary Hogan in 1954, andhe was the subject of a sensationalized trial that saw him remanded to a mental health facility for the remainder of his life. Gein’s mental status was the subject of debate for decades, and his crime was seen as the beginning of a dark period in American history in which serial crime rose between the 1950s until it’s peak in the 1980s. Unsurprisingly,Gein had a profound impact on popular culture and served as the inspiration for fictionalized characters likeLeatherface, Norman Bates, and Buffalo Bill.
At this juncture, it’s unclear howMonsterseason 3 will approach Gein’s story, and unlike Dahmer or the Menendez brothers,many of the facts of the case aren’t cut-and-dry. Much that is currently known about Gein’s crimes is based on forensic extrapolation, and Gein’s own testimony is potentially clouded. On top of that,some sensationalized details have become part of the case that aren’t actually true,andThe Original Monsterwill need to choose between facts and fiction when tackling Gein’s tale.
Cast
This true crime drama delves into the infamous case of Lyle and Erik Menendez, two brothers who were convicted of murdering their parents. The series examines the complex family dynamics and legal battles that captivated the nation, highlighting the motivations and repercussions of their actions.
