The Real-Life Inspiration Behind Countless Horror Movies Is Heading To Netflix

Ryan Murphy and Netflix are teaming up to tell the story of one of the most infamous serial killers of all time, Ed Gein. That name may sound familiar to true-crime buffs. He's not quite as big of a name as, say, Ted Bundy, but "Monster: The Ed Gein Story" seeks to tell the tale of this highly influential individual. Gein's real-life crimes went on to inspire some of the greatest works of horror cinema ever made, which is something the show is very much leaning into.

An unrecognizable Charlie Hunnam ("Sons of Anarchy") plays Ed Gein in this latest edition of the "Monster" anthology series. The new trailer, which you can check out above, offers a look at him in action. Much of the imagery might look familiar, including skin used as a lampshade and the creepy way that Gein calls out to his mother. That's because Gein was used as the inspiration for characters in Tobe Hooper's "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" and Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho," as well as Jonathan Demme's "The Silence of the Lambs."

For those unfamiliar with Ed Gein, he confessed to two murders that took place in the 1950s, admitting responsibility for killing bar owner Mary Hogan in 1954 and hardware store owner Bernice Worden in 1957. He was suspected in several others, but was convicted for the murder of Hogan. That, however, is just the tip of the iceberg. Gein was also a grave robber who used human body parts to furnish his home, including using skulls as bowls. Series co-creator Ian Brennan, speaking to Tudum, explained why telling Gein's story was challenging:

"Ed Gein's fairly obscure. It's this man who lived in a farmhouse and didn't know very many people, and you're watching his descent into deep, deep madness and then ultimately into killing people. That seemed like a big ask for a show that has been quite popular. Is that too much to ask of a global audience?"

It was in realizing that horror classics like "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" were inspired by Gein that gave Brennan and Murphy a way in to tell the story. "There's something about this story that has really echoed down the ages," Brennan said. "That's when it clicked."

In the trailer, we even hear Hitchcock's voice, provided by actor Tom Hollander. "What shocks you most about him?" Hitchcock asks as police search Gein's home. "What was his childhood like?" the director prods further. For anyone who has seen "Psycho," it's not at all difficult to see how Gein influenced that seminal classic, based on the footage in this trailer alone. There is a direct line from Ed Gein to Norman Bates.

It's also not tough to see the influences between Gein and Buffalo Bill in "Silence of the Lambs." Buffalo Bill was also inspired by killer Gary Heidnik, in addition to Gein. And these are just the most popular examples. Gein's crimes went on to influence the horror genre, both directly and indirectly, in countless ways. As Murphy explained to Tudum, he sees Gein as a wildly influential figure beyond these few seminal feature films:

"[Gein] is probably one of the most influential people of the 20th century, and yet people don't know that much about him. He influenced some of the biggest serial killers of the 20th century — which is another thing that I think people did not and do not know about him — Ted Bundy, and on and on and on."

"Monster: The Ed Gein Story" hits Netflix on October 3, 2025.