Charlie Hunnam is trading in motorcycles and medieval swagger for something much darker — and, honestly, much creepier. The Sons of Anarchy and Queer as Folk alum is the newest face in Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s horror anthology Monsters, this time stepping into the horrifyingly infamous role of Ed Gein in Monsters: The Ed Gein Story.
RELATED: Do you remember watching Charlie Hunnam in the original run of ‘Queer as Folk’
Yes, that Ed Gein. The “Butcher of Plainfield.” The Wisconsin man whose twisted killing spree in the 1950s inspired pretty much every horror movie you’ve ever screamed through: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Psycho, and The Silence of the Lambs. His crimes included grave robbing, wearing human skin (yes, wearing), and in some reports, dancing around in it. Truly, the stuff of nightmares.
So, what on earth possessed Charlie Hunnam — our rugged blonde fantasy from Pacific Rim and Sons of Anarchy — to dive headfirst into this? Well, if the trailer is any clue, he’s gone all in. And we mean all in.
For starters, Hunnam is physically unrecognizable. Gone is the heartthrob biker energy; in its place, a gaunt, unsettling presence that channels Gein’s isolation and psychosis. But while the subject matter is grim, fans can’t help but notice the… physique. In one trailer moment, Hunnam-as-Gein is completely naked, covering himself with only his hands. And while we’d rather not associate thirst with one of history’s most depraved figures — let’s just say the internet clocked it immediately.
Source: MONSTER: The Ed Gein Story | Netflix
Another deeply uncomfortable (yet eerily Ryan Murphy) scene? Gein trying on a female victim’s underwear while dancing. It’s disturbing, it’s creepy, and it’s peak Murphy shock-value.
The series’ logline doesn’t hold back either:
“Driven by isolation, psychosis and an all-consuming obsession with his mother, Gein’s perverse crimes birthed a new kind of monster that would haunt Hollywood for decades.” And if the trailer already has your hair standing on end, the full season promises to be even more bone-chilling.
Hunnam isn’t the only big name in the mix. The cast features Tom Hollander as none other than Alfred Hitchcock (a fun little meta horror nod), plus Suzanna Son, Vicky Krieps, Olivia Williams, Lesley Manville, Joey Pollari, Charlie Hall, Tyler Jacob Moore, Mimi Kennedy, Will Brill, and Robin Weigert. In true Murphy fashion, it’s a mix of prestige talent and rising stars, all swirling around one of the darkest true-crime stories in American history.
Behind the camera, Murphy and Brennan team up once again as executive producers alongside Max Winkler, Eric Kovtun, Scott Robertson, Nissa Diederich, Louise Shore, Carl Franklin, and even Hunnam himself. Brennan and Winkler share directing duties, which means we’re in for a polished, unsettling, and unflinchingly weird ride.
So what’s the takeaway? Charlie Hunnam may look jaw-droppingly good shirtless (and apparently pantsless), but make no mistake — this role is designed to terrify, disturb, and remind us of how twisted reality can get. If Monsters: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story had you sleeping with the lights on, Monsters: The Ed Gein Story might just have you questioning every bump in the night.
Catch it when it drops — if you dare.
Hunnam would be BRILLIANT as the next 007!
He certainly would bring an edge to the character.
Some of the other names floating around aren’t getting in the theatre,