Charlie Hunnam plays Ed Gein in Monster: The Ed Gein Story, the third installment of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s Monster anthology. Netflix released the eight-episode season on October 3, 2025; all episodes are available to stream on Netflix, according to its season guide.
Who plays Ed Gein in Monster?
Hunnam was announced for the role on October 15, 2024. Netflix Tudum reported that Murphy said the season would focus on Gein at the Los Angeles premiere of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. The casting announcement described the project as the anthology’s third season.
In a September 2025 Tudum interview, Hunnam said he had not known Murphy was considering him when they first met. He recalled Murphy asking, “So, do you want to play him?” Hunnam also said he read books about Gein, many of which he found sensationalist, and listened to a recorded interview with Gein to study his voice and speech patterns. Those are Hunnam’s descriptions of his preparation.
“I wanted to get as close as possible to who Ed was, to do him justice, and for this thing to feel authentic,” Hunnam told Tudum. Murphy recalled the image that prompted him to consider the actor: “I saw a paparazzi photograph of [Charlie] somewhere and I was like, ‘Oh, he seems haunted,’ ”
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What is the Ed Gein season called, and when did it come out?
The completed season is titled Monster: The Ed Gein Story. Netflix’s Media Center lists its premiere as October 3, 2025, at 7:00 AM GMT, and identifies it as the anthology’s third installment. Netflix Tudum’s later season guide says all eight episodes are available to stream on Netflix. Catalog availability may vary by region and can change over time.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Who else is in the cast?
The October 2024 announcement named three actors alongside Hunnam:
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- Laurie Metcalf as Augusta Gein
- Tom Hollander as Alfred Hitchcock
- Olivia Williams as Alma Hitchcock
The later season guide also lists Suzanna Son as Adeline Watkins, Vicky Krieps as Ilse Koch, Olivia Williams as Alma Reville, Joey Pollari as Anthony Perkins, and Lesley Manville as Bernice Worden. The earlier casting announcement called Williams’s character Alma Hitchcock; Netflix’s later guide lists her as Alma Reville.
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How did the casting announcement develop?
- October 15, 2024: Netflix Tudum reported Hunnam’s casting as Gein and named Metcalf, Hollander, and Williams in their respective roles. The report said production was planned to begin the following month; that was the plan at the time, not confirmation of the actual start date.
- September 4, 2025: Tudum published Hunnam’s account of his preparation and Murphy’s recollection of considering him for the role.
- October 3, 2025: Netflix’s Media Center listed the season’s premiere date.
- November 26, 2025: Netflix Tudum’s season guide referred to the finished series as Monster: The Ed Gein Story and said all eight episodes were available on Netflix.
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