Netflix’s hit true-crime show Monster has added three new cast members to its season 3 lineup, with one new addition set to play acclaimed director Alfred Hitchcock. Following the show’s previous explorations of Jeffrey Dahmer and the Menendez brothers, series co-creator Ryan Murphy recently revealed that Monster season 3, dubbed The Original Monster, will focus on the infamous 1950s serial killer Ed Gein. Set to be played by Sons of Anarchy’s Charlie Hunnam, filming is officially slated to get underway this Halloween.
Just ahead of The Original Monster’s fitting production start date, Netflix recently announced three new cast members set to join Hunnam’s Ed Gein. Laurie Metcalf (The Connors) has been announced as Ed Gein’s mother, Augusta, while Tom Hollander (Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Pirates of the Caribbean) is set to play Hitchcock, whose 1960 horror classic Psycho was heavily influenced by Gein’s abhorrent crimes. Rounding out the new cast announcements is Olivia Williams (The Crown) who is set to play Hitchcock’s wife and collaborator Alma. Check out Netflix’s original post below:
What Adding The Hitchcocks Means For Monster Season 3
The Original Monster Will Chart The Beginning Of Hollywood’s Obsession With Serial Killers
While those familiar with Gein’s gruesome history, and his troubling relationship with his late mother, would not be surprised to see her character added to the Monster season 3 cast lineup, the addition of Alfred and Alma Hitchcock reveals a great deal about how the show will approach the killer’s tale. Much as Murphy himself explained, the impetus behind The Original Monster will not only be to explore Gein’s murderous actions but also to investigate pop culture’s broader fascination with him and his homicidal ilk.
Released just three years after Gein was first captured and sent to the Central State Hospital for the Criminally Insane,
Psycho
not only laid the groundwork for countless horror-thrillers to follow but also resulted in bringing widespread international attention to Gein’s crimes and subsequent incarceration.
As the inspiration behind some of Hollywood’s best-known horror villains, from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s Leatherface to Silence of the Lambs’ Buffalo Bill, few other killers can boast the same kind of pop culture impact as Gein. Moreover, it was a trend that largely traces its origins to the Hitchcocks’ iconic horror movie, Psycho. Released just three years after Gein was first captured and sent to the Central State Hospital for the Criminally Insane, Psycho not only laid the groundwork for countless horror-thrillers to follow but also resulted in bringing widespread international attention to Gein’s crimes and subsequent incarceration.
Our Take On The Original Monster’s New Cast Announcements
Ryan Murphy Appears To Be Directly Addressing His Show’s Criticisms
Over the show’s previous two seasons, Monster has attracted its fair share of controversy regarding its depiction of real-world crimes. Often accused of veering uncomfortably close to exploitation, Netflix’s true-crime series has been a fascinating example of the frequently troubling intersection between entertainment and a widespread cultural obsession with some of modern society’s darkest moments.
However, these latest cast announcements might suggest that Murphy and his Monster co-creator Ian Brennan are all too conscious of the kinds of criticisms being leveled at their show. Moreover, rather than attempting to correct the course and avoid the controversy that comes with using real crimes as fodder for entertainment, it seems that Monster season 3 may tackle that very debate headfirst. Much like Monster seasons 1 and 2, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho also received its fair share of criticism, and even blatant derision, during the time of its original release.
Source: Netflix
This true crime drama delves into the infamous case of Lyle and Erik Menendez, two brothers who were convicted of murdering their parents. The series examines the complex family dynamics and legal battles that captivated the nation, highlighting the motivations and repercussions of their actions.
- Cast
- Cooper Koch , Nicholas Alexander Chavez , Javier Bardem , Chloe Sevigny , Nathan Lane , Ari Graynor , Marlene Forte , Blanca Araceli , Dallas Roberts , leslie grossman , Charlie Hall , Nathen Gurrola
- Character(s)
- Erik Menendez , Lyle Menendez , José Menendez , Mary Louise Kitty Menendez , Dominick Dunne , Leslie Abramson , Marta Cano , Grandma Maria , Dr. Jerome Oziel , Judalon Smyth , Craig Cignarelli , Andy Cano
- Release Date
- September 19, 2024
- Seasons
- 1
