On August 5, the premiere of one of the most anticipated series of the summer will take place on the FX channel — Ryan Murphy’s “The Shards.” This is an adaptation of the bestseller of the same name by author Bret Easton Ellis, known worldwide for the novel “American Psycho.”
Plot
Los Angeles, 1981. At the center of the story is 17-year-old Bret, who is in his final year at the elite Buckley preparatory school and wants to be a writer. Bret is handsome, wealthy, and has everything he desires. But his life is completely turned upside down by the appearance of a mysterious new student, Robert Mallory. Coincidentally, Robert appears in the city at the same time a serial killer known as The Travecker begins to wreak havoc in Los Angeles.
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“Everyone loves a good coming-of-age story,” teases Ryan Murphy, the Hollywood producer and director who gave us the television hits “American Horror Story,” “Pose,” “Feud,” and “Hollywood.” “The Shards” is his new project, which promises to be a major premiere of the summer, as it is a bold adaptation of one of America’s most prominent contemporary authors, the legendary Bret Easton Ellis, known for the novel “American Psycho.” Judging by the trailer, we can expect a captivating thriller about sex, obsession, and fear.
Who is Bret Easton Ellis
Ryan Murphy worked on the series script together with the novel’s author, Bret Easton Ellis, which gives hope that the script will be no less sharp and bold than Ellis’s text itself.
Who is Bret Easton Ellis?
The future writer was born and raised in Los Angeles, and the peak of his adolescence fell on the late 70s and early 80s. His childhood was not easy: Bret’s father was cruel towards his son and wife, and later the writer would transfer some of his father’s traits onto one of his most famous characters, Patrick Bateman from “American Psycho” – a New York maniac, psychopath, and killer. In fact, brutality in depicting human relationships, sex, and explicit violence are the features that would make Ellis’s novels so popular, yet also controversial.
In 1985, his debut novel “Less Than Zero” was released, depicting the decadent lives of the spoiled “golden youth” of Los Angeles. In 1987, his second novel, “The Rules of Attraction,” followed. In 1991, the author’s most scandalous work, “American Psycho,” saw the light of day. Due to scenes of violence against women, the publisher “Simon & Schuster” refused to publish the novel, and the National Organization for Women boycotted the book. However, in 2000, a film adaptation of the same name was released starring Christian Bale, Willem Dafoe, and Jared Leto, which became a film of a generation. Throughout the 90s and 2000s, Ellis released five novels that accurately and frankly conveyed the free yet brutal spirit of the times in which he grew up and was shaped, making them resonate deeply with a generation coming of age during that tumultuous period.
The novel “The Shards” is Ellis’s most recent work, released in 2023. Critics call this book autofiction, as, according to the author’s admission, it is based on a traumatic experience from Ellis’s own life: during his school years, a serial killer posed a threat to teenagers in Los Angeles. In the protagonist, 17-year-old Bret, one can recognize Ellis himself: in his inclination towards writing, his exceptional vulnerability, and also his bisexuality.
Cast
In “The Shards,” Ryan Murphy has assembled a stellar cast. The role of the aspiring writer Brett is played by 23-year-old Igby Rigney, known for the series “The Fall of the House of Usher” and “Midnight Mass.” In the series, Brett’s social circle includes Susan Reynolds (Kaia Gerber), Debbie Shaffer (Haze Warner), and Tom Wright (Graham Campbell). As for the charismatic and ambiguous Robert, whom Bret is fascinated by, his role is embodied by 26-year-old Homer Giere, son of Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford, and brother of Kaia Gerber.
Throughout the series, it is shown how Bret becomes increasingly wary of Robert, although his friends suspect nothing is wrong with Robert. “You always exaggerate everything,” says Susan, played by Gerber. However, the tension builds, which is evident even from the trailer – from its very first seconds, it’s clear that this glossy world is about to explode.
We will see the first episodes of “The Shards” on August 5.