''Monster: The Original Monster'' is the third season of the American
biographical
A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or curric ...
crime drama
Crime film is a film belonging to the crime fiction genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and fiction. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine with many other genres, such as Drama (film and television), dr ...
anthology series
An anthology series is a written series, radio, television, film, or video game series that presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a different ca ...
''
Monster
A monster is a type of imaginary or fictional creature found in literature, folklore, mythology, fiction and religion. They are very often depicted as dangerous and aggressive, with a strange or grotesque appearance that causes Anxiety, terror ...
'', created by
Ryan Murphy and
Ian Brennan for
Netflix
Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
. This season will focus on convicted murderer and suspected serial killer
Ed Gein
Edward Theodore Gein ( ; August 27, 1906 – July 26, 1984), also known as "the Butcher of Plainfield" or "the Plainfield Ghoul", was an American murderer, suspected serial killer and Body snatching, body snatcher. Gein's crimes, committed a ...
(
Charlie Hunnam
Charles Matthew Hunnam (; born 10 April 1980) is an English actor. He portrayed Jax Teller in the FX (TV channel), FX drama series ''Sons of Anarchy'' (2008–2014), for which he was twice nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for ...
). Other main characters will include Gein's mother, Augusta (
Laurie Metcalf
Laura Elizabeth "Laurie" Metcalf (born June 16, 1955) is an American actress and comedian. Known for her complex and versatile roles across the stage and screen, she has received various accolades throughout a career spanning more than four d ...
), film director
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English film director. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featu ...
(
Tom Hollander
Thomas Anthony Hollander (; born 25 August 1967) is a British actor. He trained with National Youth Theatre and won the Ian Charleson Award in 1992 for his performance as Witwoud in ''The Way of the World''. He made his Broadway debut in the ...
) and Hitchcock's wife, screenwriter and film editor
Alma Reville
Alma Lucy Reville, Lady Hitchcock (14 August 1899 – 6 July 1982) was an English screenwriter and film editor. She was the wife of film director Alfred Hitchcock. She collaborated on scripts for her husband's films, including ''Shadow of a Doub ...
(
Olivia Williams
Olivia Haigh Williams (born 26 July 1968) is a British actress who appears in British and American films and television. Williams studied drama at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School for two years followed by three years at the Royal Shakespeare ...
).
Synopsis
The series will focus on convicted murderer and suspected serial killer
Ed Gein
Edward Theodore Gein ( ; August 27, 1906 – July 26, 1984), also known as "the Butcher of Plainfield" or "the Plainfield Ghoul", was an American murderer, suspected serial killer and Body snatching, body snatcher. Gein's crimes, committed a ...
(
Charlie Hunnam
Charles Matthew Hunnam (; born 10 April 1980) is an English actor. He portrayed Jax Teller in the FX (TV channel), FX drama series ''Sons of Anarchy'' (2008–2014), for which he was twice nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for ...
).
Cast and characters
Main
*
Charlie Hunnam
Charles Matthew Hunnam (; born 10 April 1980) is an English actor. He portrayed Jax Teller in the FX (TV channel), FX drama series ''Sons of Anarchy'' (2008–2014), for which he was twice nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for ...
as
Ed Gein
Edward Theodore Gein ( ; August 27, 1906 – July 26, 1984), also known as "the Butcher of Plainfield" or "the Plainfield Ghoul", was an American murderer, suspected serial killer and Body snatching, body snatcher. Gein's crimes, committed a ...
: A convicted murderer and suspected serial killer
*
Laurie Metcalf
Laura Elizabeth "Laurie" Metcalf (born June 16, 1955) is an American actress and comedian. Known for her complex and versatile roles across the stage and screen, she has received various accolades throughout a career spanning more than four d ...
as Augusta Gein: Ed Gein's mother
*
Tom Hollander
Thomas Anthony Hollander (; born 25 August 1967) is a British actor. He trained with National Youth Theatre and won the Ian Charleson Award in 1992 for his performance as Witwoud in ''The Way of the World''. He made his Broadway debut in the ...
as
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English film director. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featu ...
: An English film director
*
Olivia Williams
Olivia Haigh Williams (born 26 July 1968) is a British actress who appears in British and American films and television. Williams studied drama at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School for two years followed by three years at the Royal Shakespeare ...
as
Alma Reville
Alma Lucy Reville, Lady Hitchcock (14 August 1899 – 6 July 1982) was an English screenwriter and film editor. She was the wife of film director Alfred Hitchcock. She collaborated on scripts for her husband's films, including ''Shadow of a Doub ...
: An English screenwriter and film editor, and Hitchcock's wife
*
Addison Rae
{{Infobox person
, name = Addison Rae
, image = Addison Rae Pandora ME 2021 02.jpg
, caption = Rae in 2021
, birth_name = Addison Rae Easterling
, birth_place = Lafayette, Louisiana, U.S ...
as
Evelyn Hartley: An American teenager who mysteriously disappeared
*
Suzanna Son
*
Danielle Campbell
Danielle Marie Campbell (born January 30, 1995) is an American actress. She is known for her starring roles as Jessica Olson in the 2010 Disney Channel Original Movie '' Starstruck'', Simone Daniels in the 2011 Disney film ''Prom'', Davina Clair ...
Production
Development
On September 16, 2024, it was announced that the third season of ''Monster'' will focus on convicted murder and suspected serial killer
Ed Gein
Edward Theodore Gein ( ; August 27, 1906 – July 26, 1984), also known as "the Butcher of Plainfield" or "the Plainfield Ghoul", was an American murderer, suspected serial killer and Body snatching, body snatcher. Gein's crimes, committed a ...
.
On October 4, it was confirmed that the season would be titled ''The Original Monster'', exploring Ed Gein's life as the first "celebrity serial killer" and examining how
true crime
True crime is a genre of non-fiction work in which an author examines a crime, including detailing the actions of people associated with and affected by the crime, and investigating the perpetrator's Motive (law), motives. True crime works often ...
evolved into a pop culture phenomenon.
Casting
On September 16, 2024, it was announced that
Charlie Hunnam
Charles Matthew Hunnam (; born 10 April 1980) is an English actor. He portrayed Jax Teller in the FX (TV channel), FX drama series ''Sons of Anarchy'' (2008–2014), for which he was twice nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for ...
had been cast to portray Gein.
On October 15, it was announced that
Laurie Metcalf
Laura Elizabeth "Laurie" Metcalf (born June 16, 1955) is an American actress and comedian. Known for her complex and versatile roles across the stage and screen, she has received various accolades throughout a career spanning more than four d ...
,
Tom Hollander
Thomas Anthony Hollander (; born 25 August 1967) is a British actor. He trained with National Youth Theatre and won the Ian Charleson Award in 1992 for his performance as Witwoud in ''The Way of the World''. He made his Broadway debut in the ...
and
Olivia Williams
Olivia Haigh Williams (born 26 July 1968) is a British actress who appears in British and American films and television. Williams studied drama at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School for two years followed by three years at the Royal Shakespeare ...
had joined the cast, as Augusta Gein,
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English film director. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featu ...
and
Alma Reville
Alma Lucy Reville, Lady Hitchcock (14 August 1899 – 6 July 1982) was an English screenwriter and film editor. She was the wife of film director Alfred Hitchcock. She collaborated on scripts for her husband's films, including ''Shadow of a Doub ...
, respectively.
In February 2025, it was announced that
Suzanna Son had been cast as a series regular in an undisclosed role.
Filming
On October 5, 2024, it was reported that principal photography for the season was scheduled to begin on October 31. On November 23, it was reported that filming had begun earlier that month. In February 2025, it was reported that filming was taking place in
Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
.
Release
The season is expected to release in October 2025 on
Netflix
Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
.
References
{{Portal bar, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, Crime, Television, United States
Upcoming television seasons
2020s American crime drama television series
American biographical series
American English-language television shows
Historical television series
Netflix television dramas
Television series created by Ryan Murphy (producer)
Television shows about murder
Monster (American TV series)