Is Netflix’s New Charlie Hunnam Casting Going To Make Me Attracted To A Serial Killer Again?

Netflix is at it again, casting Charlie Hunnam for Monster season 3, which leads me to beg the question: why do movies and TV shows keep casting extremely good-looking actors to play serial killers? From the minds of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, Netflix’s Monster show debuted in September 2022 by releasing a season that chronicled Jeffrey Dahmer. The show was led by Evan Peters in the role of Dahmer, reuniting him with Murphy after appearing in nine seasons of American Horror Story and the FX drama Pose. Despite a so-so reception, Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story was a mega-hit for Netflix.

We will get to the issues surrounding Monster season 1 soon, but before the dust even settled on the Dahmer story, Netflix renewed Monster for season 2, which is set to follow the true story of Erik and Lyle Menendez, who murdered their parents in 1989. Monster season 2 features another notable cast, but the story takes a different approach by following a deadly family case rather than a serial killer. That said, Monster season 3 is returning to the original approach by following one of the most notable killers in history, and the show cast Charlie Hunnam to play the “monster.”

Charlie Hunnam Is Playing Ed Gein In Monster Season 3 For Netflix

The Mad Butcher Will Be The Focus Of Monster’s Next Installment

Charlie Hunnam has been cast as Ed Gein for Monster season 3, with the announcement coming just a few days before Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story even premieres. Hunnam, of course, is no stranger to TV shows, having notably played the ruggedly handsome Jax Teller in Sons of Anarchy and the proudly promiscuous college student Lloyd in Undeclared. His movie roles are equally diverse, but I can’t be the only one shocked to learn that Hunnam is set to play Ed Gein, the sadistic figure who inspired fictional killers like Norman Bates, Leatherface, and Buffalo Bill. But here we are.

I certainly wouldn’t call myself a serial killer expert, but as a horror enthusiast, I’m aware of the most notable serial killers in history. This is especially true if they have impacted the entertainment industry, whether it’s retellings or the inspirations behind fictional characters. Ed Gein, aka the Butcher of Plainfield, was confirmed to have killed two women and suspected of having killed at least seven others. To make the case more disturbing, Gein was a known body-snatcher, digging up buried bodies in graveyards to mutilate the corpses and obtain grotesque keepsakes.

Charlie Hunnam’s Serial Killer Casting Continues An Odd Trend

Fan Favorite Actors Keep Being Cast As Dangerous Real-Life Figures

Depicting serial killers, real and fictional, isn’t new for the entertainment industry. Still, Charlie Hunnam’s Ed Gein casting is another weird example of a trend I can’t ignore. Once again, the horrific true story retelling is using an attractive (and, at times, beloved) actor to portray a serial killer. I’m not saying viewers will instantly fall in love with Ed Gein and other killers in general just because of Hunnam. Let’s not go that far. But Hunnam has a loyal following, and I can’t deny crushing on him in any role I see him play. Will that happen again in Monster season 3?

Let’s take a look at Zac Efron, an actor that captured the hearts of young people in the mid-’00s from his role in the High School Musical movies, who then went on to star in the Ted Bundy movie titled Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. Bundy may have been known for his charm in real life, but using a massively popular actor and grown-up Disney superstar like Efron was certainly a choice. The portrayal even caused fans to become fascinated with Bundy, as if he were a wrongly accused celebrity, just like how women bizarrely treated him during his real murder trial.

Even Evan Peters’ Dahmer casting for Monster stirred controversy, repeating a character issue from American Horror Story season 1 when he played Tate Langdon. Tate was a protective love interest in season 1, but that protective nature didn’t work for me after it was revealed that Tate carried out a school shooting. However, Tate’s continued portrayal as an antagonist who deserved sympathy was unsettling, something that seems to continue happening with modern serial killer depictions in Monster and beyond.

The Depiction Of Well-Known Serial Killers In Movies & Shows Will Always Be Divisive

Romanticizing & Glorifying Serial Killers Has Been A Problem

While it’s necessary to dive into the complexities of serial killers and their motives, shows and movies often lean into storytelling that justifies their actions or somehow puts the blame on victims. Monster season 1 stirred more controversy by prioritizing Dahmer’s characterization over the stories of those killed, causing some of the victims’ families to speak out against the show. Putting the lead character in the front and center makes sense, but doing so in the wrong light could risk romanticizing serial killers, clouding them with instant appeal.

I totally get wanting to hire a notable name for a project like Monster. In fact, seeing Hunnam’s name attached instantly piqued my interest. In a perfect world, the appearance of an actor shouldn’t be that much of a deciding factor for casting, but this is not a perfect world. No matter who is cast to play known killers, adaptations are responsible for not glorifying these figures by presenting them as forgivable. Interest in true crime won’t slow down, and as long as they continue, the portrayal of serial killers will continue to be divisive, especially if they are played by actors who many of us grew up supporting or, in some cases, loving.

Serial killer depictions in movies and shows always come with inherent risks. There should be intrigue for viewers to want to watch, but there also needs to be a balance in how the events and characters are presented. Maybe Monster season 3 will alter Hunnam’s appearance to avoid exacerbating the romanticization of someone like Gein, taking a similar approach to 2003’s Monster with Charlize Theron’s depiction of serial killer Aileen Wuornos. Or maybe I will fall into the trap and crush on Hunnam’s serial killer character. Only time will tell.