Renowned television producer Ryan Murphy has embarked on his next high-profile series venture with a compelling project in the works. According to sources privy to Deadline, FX is in the nascent stages of developing "The Shards," a chilling prep school thriller novel penned by Bret Easton Ellis. Kaia Gerber, a seasoned collaborator of Murphy's, is set to take center stage, while Max Winkler, another frequent Murphy associate, has been tapped to direct.
Gerber, who has graced both "American Horror Story" and its spin-off "American Horror Stories" with recurring roles, returns to the Murphy universe. Meanwhile, Winkler has emerged as Murphy's go-to director, having recently contributed to the third season of Netflix's "Monster" and slated to helm the pilot episode of FX's upcoming "American Love Story."
"The Shards," produced by 20th Television in tandem with Ryan Murphy Television, boasts an impressive executive producing team comprising Murphy, Ellis, Winkler, Nick Hall, Kathleen McCaffrey, and Brian Young. As of now, the identity of the screenwriter remains under wraps.
This collaboration follows Murphy and Ellis's decision earlier this year to adapt Ellis's novel for television, mere months ago. Prior to this, Ellis had been attempting to bring a different incarnation of "The Shards" to life at HBO since 2023, with him attached as a writer and executive producer alongside Hall, Young, and McCaffrey. Renowned filmmakers such as Luca Guadagnino ("Challengers") and Kristoffer Borgli ("Dream Scenario") were also briefly in contention to direct the project, but it ultimately failed to materialize.
Initially unveiled as a serialized audiobook before hitting bookstore shelves in 2023, "The Shards" is a dark coming-of-age tale tinged with semi-autobiographical elements for Ellis. Set in Los Angeles in 1981, the narrative follows a 17-year-old Ellis during his final year at the prestigious Buckley prep school. His world is turned upside down by the arrival of a mysterious new student, Robert Mallory, whose unsettling presence coincides with the activities of a serial killer known as The Trawler.
Ellis, who rose to fame in the 1980s with his debut novel "Less Than Zero" published when he was just 21, remains best known for "American Psycho." Guadagnino is set to direct a reimagining of the 2000 classic starring Christian Bale for Lionsgate.
Gerber, who recently appeared in the hit comedy "Hacks" and can currently be seen in Benito Skinner's comedy series "Overcompensating" on Amazon, has a slew of recent and upcoming projects under her belt. These include Jason Reitman's "Saturday Night," Jonah Hill's dark comedy "Outcome" for Apple, and the second season of the Apple series "Palm Royale." She is represented by CAA, Entertainment360, DNA Model Management, and Sloan, Offer, Weber & Dern.
Murphy, coming off the heels of "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story," the second season of his popular "Monster" anthology series for Netflix, has a plethora of new series on the horizon. These include "9-1-1: Nashville" on ABC, the Hulu legal drama "All's Fair" starring Kim Kardashian, and both "American Love Story" and "The Beauty" at FX. He is represented by CAA and Paul Hastings for legal matters.
