Hollywood’s master of the macabre, Ryan Murphy, has found his latest leading man — and it’s none other than Yellowstone’s resident villain, Wes Bentley. The Emmy-nominated actor, known for playing the tormented Jamie Dutton in Taylor Sheridan’s western empire, is set to star in Murphy’s new serial killer thriller series, The Shards.

Based on Bret Easton Ellis’s haunting 2023 novel, The Shards transports viewers back to 1980s Los Angeles, where teenage privilege, obsession, and murder collide.

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Wes Bentley Joins the Ryan Murphy Universe

According to Collider, Bentley will play Terry, the father of Debbie (portrayed by rising star Hayes Warner). It’s a complex role that anchors the coming-of-age thriller in an atmosphere of dread and secrecy — something Bentley, with his brooding intensity, excels at.

Joining him in The Shards are Kaia Gerber, Igby Rigney, Homer Gere, and Graham Campbell, rounding out a cast that promises both glamour and danger.

The official synopsis teases a dark psychological descent:

“Seventeen-year-old Bret is a senior at an exclusive prep school when a new student arrives with a mysterious past. Robert Mallory is bright, handsome, and charismatic — but he’s hiding a secret. As Bret’s fascination with him deepens, so does his obsession with the Trawler, a serial killer stalking Los Angeles. Soon, the two worlds intertwine in a web of violence, paranoia, and manipulation.”

With Murphy’s track record for stylish horror and twisted psychology — from American Horror Story to Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story — The Shards is shaping up to be another chilling entry in his growing anthology of American nightmares.

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A Reunion of Dark Minds

For Wes Bentley, The Shards marks a return to Murphy’s creative world. The actor previously appeared in three seasons of American Horror Story, earning praise for his haunting portrayal of Detective John Lowe in Hotel and the bloodthirsty Edward Mordrake in Freak Show.

Bentley’s knack for playing characters teetering between guilt and madness makes him a perfect fit for Murphy’s stylishly sinister tone.

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Hulu Orders The Shards to Series

The Shards officially landed at Hulu earlier this year, with the streamer ordering the series in July 2025. Production is expected to begin soon, though no release date has been announced.

The show joins an ever-expanding Ryan Murphy universe that continues to dominate both Netflix and Hulu, with each project blurring the lines between prestige television and psychological horror.

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What’s Next for Murphy’s Monster Franchise?

While The Shards prepares for production, Murphy’s other high-profile true crime hit — Monster — continues to evolve.

The anthology’s fourth season is already in the works and will focus on Lizzie Borden, the infamous 19th-century woman accused of brutally murdering her parents with an axe.

Previous seasons explored the twisted stories of Jeffrey Dahmer, the Menendez brothers, and Ed Gein, with Sons of Anarchy alum Charlie Hunnam returning in a new role for Season 4.

With The Shards on the horizon and Monster still dominating Netflix charts, Murphy’s reign as television’s dark storyteller shows no sign of slowing down.