In a striking bit of timing, Netflix dropped the release date and key art for Monster: The Ed Gein Story today—August 27—the birthday of Ed Gein (born August 27, 1906).
The posters go right for jugular, depicting Charlie Hunnam as Ed Gein in connection to the most famous horror movies he inspired. One shows him swinging a chainsaw in the air, the text reading, “Before The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, there was Ed.” Another for The Silence of the Lambs shows him peeling off a human skin mask. The third, representing Psycho, shows him laying his hand in a woman’s lap.
These posters suggest the show will be focusing heavily on how Gein’s crimes inspired some of the most disturbing horror films ever made.
Related: Visit our Ed Gein Travel Guide
Monster: The Ed Gein Story
Netflix confirms that the third installment, titled Monster: The Ed Gein Story, premieres October 3, 2025.
Set amidst the barren plains of 1950s rural Wisconsin, the series explores how isolation, unresolved grief, and mental breakdown forged a real-life monster—Ed Gein. His obsessive relationship with his mother and grave-robbing morbidities shaped a legacy that deeply influenced horror icons like Norman Bates, Leatherface, and Buffalo Bill.
The season digs deep into the frozen fields of 1950s rural Wisconsin, exploring how Ed Gein transformed from a shy, isolated man into the infamous “Butcher of Plainfield.” Netflix promises a psychological and sociological perspective: “how a friendly, mild-mannered recluse… hid a house of horrors so gruesome it would redefine the American nightmare.”
Cast
- Charlie Hunnam stars as Ed Gein
- Laurie Metcalf plays Augusta Gein (Ed’s mother)
- Tom Hollander portrays Alfred Hitchcock
Related: What is the head of a serial killer doing in Wisconsin Dells?
Ed Gein Posters
Related: See the most recent Ed Gein photos from Plainfield
Real Facts About Ed Gein’s Crimes
Before you immerse in the series, here’s a look at the horrific reality of Gein’s life and crimes:
Born August 27, 1906, Gein was convicted of killing Bernice Worden (1957) and confessed to Mary Hogan’s murder (1954). However, his true infamy stems from the grisly items police uncovered in his Plainfield farmhouse—including chairs upholstered in human skin, skull bowls, nipple belts, and a “woman suit” fashioned from the skin of corpses.
Notable Crime Details:
- Grave-robbing: Exhumed female corpses from local cemeteries.
- Macabre artifacts: Death-made household items, including masks, lampshades, leggings, and a corset made from skin.
- Mental decline: Following his mother’s death in 1945, Gein’s behaviors spiraled, culminating in his arrest in 1957, courtroom declaration of insanity, and institutionalization until his death in 1984.
Download our weird Wisconsin Travel Guide to the Dark Side »
Planning a Visit to Plainfield
Watching the show this October? Pair it with a real-world journey to the places that birthed the horror:
- Ed Gein Grave – Gein is buried among his victims in an unmarked plot in Plainfield Cemetery. Use landmarks and our step-by-step guide to locate it respectfully.
- Ed Gein’s House Location – See where Gein’s farm used to be and the gruesome discoveries occurred
- Ed Gein Museum – Step inside Gein’s jail cell
- Grisly landmarks – The location of Bernice Worden’s hardware store and other connected local spots.
Visit our Ed Gein Travel Guide for maps, etiquette tips, and deeper Wisconsin Frights coverage of the real-life locations behind the show.
Map of Weird Wisconsin
Find Ed Gein locations and many other haunted, historical, or quirky places across Wisconsin on the Fright Club member exclusive Interactive Map of Weird Wisconsin.
