Netflix’s Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story casts Evan Peters as Dahmer

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Deadline reports that actor Evan Peters (WandaVision) has been tapped to play the prolific serial killer in Ryan Murphy's upcoming Netflix miniseries Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.

Here's the official synopsis:

‘Monster’ chronicles the story of one of America’s most notorious serial killers (Peters), 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.

The series dramatizes at least 10 instances where Dahmer was almost apprehended but ultimately let go. The series also is expected to touch on white privilege, as Dahmer, a clean-cut, good-looking white guy, was repeatedly given a free pass by cops as well as by judges who were lenient when he had been charged with petty crimes.

The 10-episode limited series spans the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s and ends with Dahmer’s arrest in the early ’90s.

Honestly? When I first heard about this project, I kinda cringed. The glorification of serial killers is already a huge problem in media, and Ryan Murphy's usually campy, melodramatic, and exploitative take on horror – which sometimes can be very fun! – didn't seem like the right fit at all. But, hearing that the project will mostly focus on the victims – as well as challenging the popular culture narrative of "brilliant serial killers" with the truth that most got away with it due to police ineptitude and racial/class biases – means that this could actually be interesting and worthwhile! Especially since it seems that Murphy isn't directing.

Also interesting that this is the second Marvel hero (Evens was Quicksilver in both the X-Men franchise, and recently as a version of Quicksilver in WandaVision) to portray Dahmer (after Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye, who played the killer in 2002's Dahmer).

But what do you guys think? Interested in Murphy's take on the prolific serial killer? Either way, sound off below!