Charlie Hunnam’s portrayal of notorious murderer Ed Gein in the new Netflix trailer for Monster: The Ed Gein Story has provoked a sharp split among viewers, who alternately praised his performance and condemned the series for sensationalizing a real-life crime.
The debut teaser, released by Netflix ahead of the series’ Oct. 3 premiere, shows the 45-year-old Sons of Anarchy alum in scenes that include prolonged shots of Hunnam nude and a moment depicting Gein wearing a victim’s remains — imagery that many commenters described as unsettling. The trailer also features Laurie Metcalf as Augusta Gein, delivering the line, "Eddie, you're a mess. Only a mother could love you."
The project is the latest installment in Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s Monster anthology. Brennan, who co-created the series and wrote each episode, said in an interview with Netflix’s Tudum that the team was drawn to Gein’s outsized influence on popular culture and the horror genre. “It’s really mind-blowing how influential one strange man in the middle of Wisconsin in a barn can be,” Brennan said. The series follows Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, which premiered on the streamer last September.
Netflix’s logline frames Gein as a reclusive figure whose crimes reshaped horror cinema: “Serial killer. Grave robber. Psycho. In the frozen fields of 1950s rural Wisconsin, a friendly, mild-mannered recluse named Eddie Gein lived quietly on a decaying farm – hiding a house of horrors so gruesome it would redefine the American nightmare.” The note adds that Gein’s “perverse crimes birthed a new kind of monster that would haunt Hollywood for decades,” citing films such as Psycho, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Silence of the Lambs as part of his legacy.
Reaction on social media was immediate and mixed. Some users praised Hunnam’s turn and predicted awards recognition. "Charlie Hunnam just won an Emmy right in this trailer," one post on X read. Another user wrote, "Golden Globe/Emmy 2026 for Charlie Hunnam." Other commenters expressed discomfort with the depiction of Gein and the apparent glamorization of a perpetrator of violent crime.
Several posts criticized Netflix’s casting and marketing choices, arguing the trailer sensationalizes violence and overlooks victims’ families. “You people glorify nonsense,” one Instagram commenter wrote, adding that the child of one victim had suffered badly after the crimes were discovered; that claim circulated among commenters rather than being presented by the production. Others questioned casting choices beyond Hunnam. The trailer includes a brief appearance by former TikTok influencer Addison Rae; that inclusion drew backlash from some viewers who wrote, "Influencers aren't actors," and pleaded, "Not her acting again, please." Those comments garnered significant engagement online.
The teaser’s imagery — particularly the scenes of nudity and the depiction of Gein’s fixation on victims — prompted debate about the ethics of dramatizing notorious crimes. Critics argued the series risks amplifying fascination with an offender rather than centering victims or exploring systemic issues, while supporters said the project could illuminate the historical and cultural roots of horror filmmaking.
Production notes and promotional materials emphasize the show’s attempt to trace Gein’s influence on American horror. Brennan told Tudum the team saw threads of Gein’s crimes “through pop culture and through horror films,” and that awareness shaped the decision to dramatize his story. Murphy and Brennan have previously built anthology entries around high-profile criminal cases, a format that continues to draw both audiences and controversy.
Netflix has not released full cast or episode details beyond the trailer, the premiere date and the creators’ comments. The streamer’s marketing highlights the series as a filmic explanation for how Gein’s actions reverberated through decades of cinema and popular imagination, a claim that underlies both the program’s promotional angle and much of the online response.
As the Oct. 3 release approaches, the conversation around Monster: The Ed Gein Story exemplifies broader tensions over true-crime entertainment: whether dramatizations can responsibly examine criminal behavior and cultural impact without re-victimizing those affected or glorifying perpetrators, and whether star-driven casting decisions serve storytelling or simply amplify controversy. Netflix and the series’ creators have framed the project as an exploration of influence and genre; viewers and commentators will determine how that framing resonates once the full episodes are available.