The ‘Monster‘ series is set to make a comeback. And if you thought the previous seasons were chilling, wait until you hear about season 3. After diving into the lives of Jeffrey Dahmer and the Menendez brothers, Ryan Murphy’s ‘Monster‘ will now tackle the story of Ed Gein, aka the ‘Butcher of Plainfield.‘
This notorious criminal from the 1950s shocked the world with his gruesome acts, inspiring some of the most iconic horror villains in Hollywood. Now the ‘Sons of Anarchy‘ star Charlie Hunnam is all set to bring him to life yet again, in Ryan Murphy style.
The Real Life Horror Behind Ed Gein’s Terrifying Stories
Ed Gein’s name may not be as recognizable as Jeffrey Dahmer’s, but his crimes have left an equally horrifying legacy. According to a book titled ‘Fiendish Killers‘, he was born in Wisconsin in 1906. Gein grew up under the oppressive control of his deeply religious and abusive mother, Augusta.
She convinced Gein that all women – aside from her – were sinful and corrupt. Despite the abuse he suffered at the hands of his mother, Gein idolized her.
His father, George Gein, was a violent alcoholic and that contributed to a dysfunctional family background. Ed lived in a farmhouse with his family in Plainfield, Wisconsin, US, pretty much in the middle of nowhere.
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Gein had little social life and remained attached to his mother. This attachment intensified after his father died in 1940, then his brother mysteriously died in 1944, and lastly, his mother died in 1945.
Gein lived alone after his mother’s death. He became isolated, with no friends and no social life, clinging to the memory of his mother. Soon, this loneliness turned into something far more disturbing.
Gein developed an obsession with anatomy and began exhuming bodies from local cemeteries. Yes, this real-life monster was literally digging up graves to collect human skin and bones to make “souvenirs.”
How Ed Gein Turned From Grave Robber To A Murderer
Ed Gein’s crimes didn’t just stop at grave robbing. In 1954, Mary Hogan, a local tavern owner, went missing. It wasn’t until years later that her remains were found in Gein’s home. But his most notorious crime was the murder of Bernice Worden, a local hardware store owner, in 1957.
When Worden went missing, police searched Gein’s property and uncovered a scene that still horrifies many to this day. They found Worden’s decapitated body hung like a deer, as well as a collection of grotesque items crafted from human remains
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Skulls used as bowls, human skin used as lamp shades, a wastebasket, and clothes like masks and even a “woman suit“, which he reportedly would wear to imitate his mother.
In total, police discovered the remains of at least 15 women in Gein’s home. He admitted to robbing graves and confessed to the murders of Hogan and Worden, although he was only charged with the latter.
Ed Gein’s Arrest And Cultural Impact
Ed Gein pleaded guilty to both the murders and grave robberies. However, he was deemed unfit for trial as he was diagnosed with schizophrenia. He was mentally committed to a state mental hospital in 1957.
In 1968, reassessment proved him competent enough to be tried, and Gein was found guilty of the Worden murder. However, he was declared legally insane and spent his remaining life in the Mendota Mental Health Institute, where he died of respiratory failure on 26 July 1984, at the age of 77 years old.
But Gein’s story didn’t just end with his incarceration. His crimes left a permanent mark on pop culture. Gein inspired some of the most infamous villains in film history, from Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho‘ to Leatherface in ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre‘ and Buffalo Bill in ‘The Silence of the Lambs‘.
His obsession with his mother and his gruesome “crafts” from human remains turned him into a cultural icon of horror, even though he was only convicted of two murders.
If you’ve ever been creeped out by these movies, now you know why. Ed Gein’s story is so grotesque and bizarre that Hollywood has revisited it time and time again.
What Can We Expect From ‘Monster’ Season 3?
With ‘Monster‘ season 3, we can expect another deep dive into the mind of a real-life monster, exploring the psychological and societal factors that shaped Gein’s twisted psyche. But don’t expect Netflix to give away too many details just yet.
As of now, Charlie Hunnam is the only cast member confirmed for season 3. If you’ve seen his intense performances in ‘Shantaram‘ or ‘Rebel Moon‘, you already know he’s perfect for the role.
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As Charlie Hunnam steps into this deeply unsettling role, fans are eager to see how the show portrays Gein’s story. Considering the success of seasons 1 and 2, season 3 is bound to be both horrifying and thought-provoking.
Now, here’s the million-dollar question: when does ‘Monster‘ season 3 drop on Netflix? Unfortunately, we don’t have an official release date yet. But if we look at the timeline of previous seasons, we might not see it until 2026. The gap between seasons 1 and 2 was two years, so brace yourselves for a bit of a wait.
