Television mogul Ryan Murphy has just announced his latest project, and his newest collaborators. The producer behind Pose, Feud, American Crime Story and Ratched will next bite into the life of notorious gay cannibal Jeffrey Dahmer.
Deadline reports that Murphy and longtime collaborator Ian Brennan have created Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story as a limited series for Netflix. The trade site further reports that actor Evan Peters, known for his work in Pose and the X-Men film series will lead the cast as Jeffrey Dahmer. Peters will star alongside actress Niecy Nash (When They See Us), Penelope Ann Miller (Kindergarten Cop), Shaun Brown, Colin Ford and Oscar-nominee Richard Jenkins (The Shape of Water).
Related: Filming for Ryan Murphy’s newest show halted over Covid-19
Miller & Jenkins will step into the roles of Dahmer’s ultra-religious parents. Nash, meanwhile, will play Glenda Cleveland, a neighbor who suspected Dahmer’s crimes and notified the police multiple times about his behavior. Further plot details remain mum, though the show is described as “largely told from the point of view of Dahmer’s victims, and dives deeply into the police incompetence and apathy that allowed the Wisconsin native to go on a multiyear killing spree.”
No release date has yet been announced.
Jeffrey Dahmer remains one of the most notorious serial killers in history, having murdered and cannibalized at least 17 men from 1978 to 1991. Dahmer’s sexuality also played a role in his ability to operate, as he often preyed on other gay men. Homophobia and police disconnect from the queer community at the time resulted in shoddy investigations and let him continue to operate for years.
Fahd
Not sure I want to hear about Dahmer again, but the promise to retell from the POV of the victims and their families could be a constructive way to rehash it – especially since these crime limited series on Netflix always reach a lot of people.
Leo
Not crazy about seeing another Dahmer flick again either but would see it just for Evan Peters marvelous acting and cute ass.
Harley
I saw Pose on Netflix and I don’t remember Evan Peters having a part in it.
chinadad
I think he played the “straight” husband who kept one of the women as a mistress.
JED08
He was in season one. He was one of Angel’s Johns who eventually made her his mistress.
barryaksarben
NOt a story anyone wants to see EXCEPT if it is more about the men and boys killed by this monster like what he did with the Gianni Versace story and how the other men killed were a huge part of the story
Thad
And I hope the families and friends of the murdered men will feel respected and their memories will be honored. This could be exploitative.
drumstick
Just “No”. I lived in WI at the time. No. No. No. I can’t. Race + Religion + Sexuality = there’s no “right” way to tell that story. Everyone is to blame and no one is to blame. Wait until it’s your neighbor.
JED08
This is probably going to be good. Niecy Nash being onto his crazy self early on and trying to get him busted.
Joshooeerr
Murphy’s fixation with gay killers is creepy enough already, and his treatment of the Andrew Cunanan (the Gianni Versace murderer) was to glamorise him in a story that made him iconic, and often sympathetic – something he never was before. It was also just a thinly veiled excuse for a parade of hot guys and homoerotic scenarios – never mind that they often ended in grisly violence and buckets of blood. The label “serial killer porn” springs instantly to mind. And Murphy’s other shows – eg. American Horror Story – make it pretty clear that he’s more interested in getting off on these tales than he is in examining the mind and motivations of a twisted killer. If Murphy had any shame or self-awareness he’d be too embarrassed to go down this path yet again, and make his own sick fantasies more plain than they already are. But he has no shame.
BoomerMyles
Was Armie Hammer not available?
Donston
We’ve already had a couple of recent fictional tellings of Dahmer. Furthermore, Murphy already went down the route of “gay’ killer” with the Versace miniseries. And it was a rather shallow, tacky program that pretty much felt like an excuse to have Darren Criss (and a few others) prance around in his underwear and in tight fashions. He also made his killing strictly about basic internalized homophobia. Murphy also leaned on the “sexy young white male killer being shirtless and in his underwear all the time” stuff in a couple seasons of American Horror Story. I don’t know if it’s paraphiliacs and fetish or if he just doesn’t have much imagination.
This could be decent if Murray isn’t too involved with the process.
papahelmut
I was living in Hales Corners, Wisconsin from 1989 until 1994 and spent some time working as a volunteer at the HOC in that area. I met a correctional officer who knew Dahmer as an inmate while he was serving time on the weekend for an unrelated crime. I don’t think that anybody was aware of the lifestyle he lived and what he did over a period of several years. It is only in retrospect that his story became nationalized after his final arrest and the truth came out and it was shocking. Another correctional officer shared with me that the outcome of Dahmer’s life was going to end they way it did. Because that is they way you take care of problems.
inbama
Will it be a musical?
Str8 Up Gay Man
What’s the point? I spent this last weekend binge watching Ryan Murphy’s ” Ratched” and despite the great cast and superb production and wild stories, it’s all so much UGLY. Hideous, cruel, mean and disgusting. What’s the point? And do we really need to feed the hateful culture of this homo/transphobic time period something which will turn Dahmer into a hero with plethora of actions to repeat. There will be a blow back of some negative kind.What about those who were and are directly affected? Ask and see how they feel. If you are going to do it then every victim’s story must be played out as well. What’s the point of this new slick stylized retelling of this awful mess of UGLY? Rather do nothing than add this to our already clogged path ahead.
AxelDC
Evan Peters is such an underrated actor.
lykeitiz
Definitely! I think he’s highly regarded by those familiar with him, but he should have a much larger platform. He’s an absolute chameleon on AHS.
lykeitiz
Huge fan of Murphy’s, but kind of agree with the comments here. The “Versace” series was really “The Andrew Cunanan Story”, and although it was great to throw spotlight to the other victims, the main star was the killer (yet Criss was phenominal). Wonder how the families felt.
Also a huge Evan Peters fan. I just hope the storyline is sympathetic to the victims, and not the monster.
LumpyPillows
There are so many better show ideas out there.