The first trailer for Ryan Murphy’s next instalment of the Monster anthology has dropped, confirming Charlie Hunnam will step into the role of one of America’s most infamous killers: Ed Gein.
But while the chilling subject matter is at the heart of the series, much of the online reaction has zeroed in on one common complaint about Hunnam...
Charlie Hunnam's casting as Ed Gein raises eyebrowsGein, a reclusive Wisconsin man, confessed to murdering two women in the 1950s. However, it was the disturbing details that emerged after his arrest that cemented his place in criminal history.
Police discovered that he had exhumed bodies from local cemeteries and used human remains to fashion household items and clothing, per Britannica. His gruesome acts went on to inspire some of Hollywood’s most enduring horror icons, including Norman Bates in Psycho and Leatherface in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Hunnam’s casting as Gein raised eyebrows when it was first announced, and the trailer has only reignited debate.
Many fans took to social media to argue that the Sons of Anarchy star’s leading-man looks risk softening the unsettling reality of Gein’s life and crimes.
One fan on Reddit wrote: "The thing is, I know Charlie is talented as hell and he will do a great job …but, Ed Gein was a creepy unattractive, small framed guy. Why have such an attractive beef cake play him, was Steve buscemi not available?
This is not the first time Murphy’s Monster franchise has faced criticism for how it frames its subjects. The anthology’s debut season, Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, starring Evan Peters, became one of Netflix’s most-watched series of all time.
But it also sparked controversy, with critics and victims’ families accusing the show of glamorizing Dahmer and retraumatizing survivors by dramatizing his crimes for mass audiences.
With Gein, the challenge for Murphy and Hunnam is particularly stark. Unlike Bundy or Dahmer, who were often depicted in media as manipulative or even superficially charming, Gein was regarded as socially awkward, lonely and visibly disturbed. His case was as much a story of rural isolation and untreated mental illness as it was of violence.
Still, casting against type is not unheard of in Hollywood. Charlize Theron famously transformed her appearance to portray serial killer Aileen Wuornos in 2003’s Monster, earning an Academy Award for the performance.
Fans of Hunnam argue he may be attempting a similar metamorphosis, taking on a challenging role that distances him from the action-hero image he cultivated in Sons of Anarchy and films like Pacific Rim.
The series is set to air on Netflix on October 3rd next month, with Hunnam leading an all-star cast including Laurie Metcalf, Tom Hollander, Olivia Williams, and even TikTok-star-turned-songstress Addison Rae.
Given the franchise’s success and the immediate buzz surrounding the new trailer, Monster: The Ed Gein Story is already shaping up to be one of the streamer’s most talked-about releases.