Evan Peters is set to play Jeffrey Dahmer in the limited Netflix series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, according to Deadline.
The series, which was first announced in October, is the creation of both Ian Brennan and Ryan Murphy. Note that Peters and Murphy have collaborated many times, like in the first eight seasons (and upcoming 10th season) of American Horror Story. On another casting note (...with a Murphy connection) Niecy Nash is also set to star in the series.
Deadline writes that the story of Dahmer, one of the most infamous serial killers in U.S. history, will mostly be told from the perspective of his victims. The series will also make a theme out of blunders/apathy by the police, as the outlet notes that “the series dramatizes at least 10 instances where Dahmer was almost apprehended but ultimately let go.”
Penelope Ann Miller and Richard Jenkins will play Dahmer’s parents, and Nash will fill the role of a neighbor, Glenda Cleveland, who tries without success to alert the authorities to Dahmer’s behavior.
Shaun J. Brown will play the killer’s final attempted victim, who gets away and leads police back to his apartment.
Carl Franklin (Mindhunter) will direct the pilot, Janet Mock (Pose) will write several episodes. Murphy and Brennan will executive produce.
From 1978-1991, Dahmer murdered 17 victims. All but one of those people was killed in Milwaukee. His crimes, though already extremely gruesome, acquired additional notoriety due to his tendency to commit necrophilia, and also collect and sometimes eat the body parts of his victims. He was convicted of 16 of those murders, and served two years of a prison sentence before a fellow inmate bludgeoned him to death in 1994.
As was the case when Zac Efron was cast as Ted Bundy (I think?) the casting decision generated discussion:
