Netflix's 'Monster' Season 3 Digs Into Ed Gein's Horrors After Dahmer, Menendez Brothers
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Netflix's Monster anthology series will return with a third installment that dives into the life and crimes of Ed Gein, the Wisconsin murderer whose gruesome legacy shaped modern horror.
Following the success of Dahmer—Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story and Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, creators Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan will continue their exploration of America's most chilling criminal minds with Monster: The Original Monster, casting Charlie Hunnam as Gein. The new season will not only revisit Gein's crimes but also explore how his story has influenced generations of filmmakers and pop culture, according to TV Insider.
Who Is Ed Gein?
Gein, one of America's most infamous killers, was born in 1906 in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He was raised on a secluded farm in Plainfield by an alcoholic father and a deeply religious mother who instilled in him the belief that women and sexuality were immoral, according to History.com. Following the deaths of his father, brother, and mother between 1940 and 1945, Gein became reclusive, remaining alone on the family farm, reported Biography.com.
According to History.com, Gein's crimes and his background inspired the creation of Norman Bates in Psycho, Leatherface in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs.
Ed Gein is seen at the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory in Madison on November 19, 1957, for questioning in connection with the slaying of a Plainfield widow.
Ed Gein is seen at the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory in Madison on November 19, 1957, for questioning in connection with the slaying of a Plainfield widow.
Edward Kitch/AP Photos
What Did Ed Gein Do to His Victims?
Gein's criminal actions came to light in 1957 when authorities found the body of Bernice Worden, a missing store clerk, in his farmhouse—decapitated and gutted. Inside, police discovered an array of human remains including skulls, organs, and skin-made items such as lampshades, chairs and a suit. Gein admitted to digging up the graves of recently buried women who, he said, resembled his mother, according to History.com.
Despite the shocking volume of remains found, Gein was only legally linked to two murders—Worden and Mary Hogan. Declared mentally unfit to stand trial, he was committed to the Mendota Mental Health Institute. In 1968, he was found guilty by reason of insanity and spent the rest of his life institutionalized, dying of cancer in 1984. He was 77 years old.
What to Know About Netflix's Monster Season 3 on Ed Gein
Season 3 of Monster, officially titled Monster: The Original Monster, will shift focus to Gein, continuing the anthology format started by Murphy and Brennan. Hunnam will portray Gein, joined by Laurie Metcalf as Augusta Gein, Tom Hollander as Alfred Hitchcock, and Olivia Williams as Alma Hitchcock.
The show aims to not only recount Gein's crimes but also address his lasting imprint on horror media. The inclusion of characters like Hitchcock, film director of notorious movies including Psycho, could mean that the third season of Monster will touch on broader thematic examination of Gein's influence on Hollywood, TV Insider reported.
The Monster series is currently the third-most popular Netflix English language series, according to Netflix's Tudum. The site reported that the first season focusing on Jeffrey Dahmer "reached 1 billion hours of viewing in its first 60 days, making it one of only four series to achieve this milestone."
Actor Charlie Hunnam is seen in Los Angeles in August 2011.
Actor Charlie Hunnam is seen in Los Angeles in August 2011.
Chris Pizzello/AP Photos
When Will Netflix's Ed Gein Monster Season 3 Come Out?
An exact premiere date has not yet been announced, but Netflix confirmed that filming began in November 2024 in Chicago. Both previous seasons—focusing on Dahmer and the Menendez brothers—debuted in September, suggesting a similar timeline is likely for the Gein-focused season.
Given the previous release schedule and current production status, viewers may expect a release sometime in the latter half of 2025.
What People are Saying
A Reddit user named u/billybumbler posted on May 5: "If I remember correctly, its rumored he probably killed his brother as well. There was a fire on the family farm where his brother had died while trying to put it out along side Ed. Its believed Ed started the fire so trick his brother and then killed him with a blow to the head of some sort. His brother did not fall in line with their mother's extremely religious views, and that caused some anger."
A Reddit user named u/Crunchyfrozenoj posted on May 4: "They're currently making a series on him. Charlie Hunnam (who is objectively hot) is playing him. Get ready for the fan girls."
A Reddit user named u/Catdaddy84 posted in September: "Very interesting choice, I just watched a documentary about this case. Charlie is very different from Ed but I'm sure they'll make it work."
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