5 notorious serial killers in line for Netflix’s Monster – plus who would play them

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Netflix’s Monster is a powerful and disturbing drama that delves into the unsettling aspects of the human mind. It’s also a thought-provoking piece of entertainment, prompting as many ethical dilemmas as it resolves. Beyond the discussions surrounding its graphic content – and whether it glorifies criminals while disregarding the respect and privacy of their victims – its influence on culture is undeniable.

The first season of the show centered around Jeffrey Dahmer, portrayed by Evan Peters as the emotionless serial killer. Season two detailed the story of the Menendez brothers, played by Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Cooper Koch. Now, in the current season, Charlie Hunnam from Newcastle takes on the role of an older Ed Gein, the Wisconsin graverobber and murderer who served as inspiration for films like Psycho, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Silence of the Lambs.

But the big question is: who might showrunner Ryan Murphy and his team address next?

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The answer is Lizzie Borden. It’s been revealed that Ella Beatty, the daughter of Warren Beatty and Annette Bening, will portray the woman famously accused of the 1892 axe murders of her father and stepmother – a case that sparked America’s enduring interest in sensational true crime.

She will be acting alongside Charlie Hunnam, who is reprising his role as Andrew, Lizzie’s father, and Rebecca Hall as Abby, her stepmother.

But who else might future seasons of Monster cover? And who might play them?

Crime is full of compelling cases, but not every one has enough twists and turns to sustain a long story. For instance, Richard Speck killed eight women, but it all happened in a single night, and he was quickly caught – identified by a noticeable tattoo on his arm – within just a few days. That kind of straightforward story wouldn’t be complex enough to fill ten episodes of a show.

Honestly, the story of Ted Bundy is just so messed up and captivating that it’s been made into at least four big movies in the last five years – which pretty much means he’s off the table. And then there’s Aileen Wuornos; her story was told *so* well in that movie with Charlize Theron, Monster. That one was amazing, so I guess she’s probably out too.

So, who else could appear? Here are our guesses for Monster season five and beyond, and the actors we believe would be perfect for those roles.

Andrei Chikatilo

I’ve been thinking about the Monster series, and so far they’ve focused on American criminals. But honestly, I wonder if it’s time they explored cases from other countries too? Like, have you heard of Chikatilo? He was born in Ukraine back in 1936, when the country was still reeling from the holodomor – a truly awful famine caused by Stalin’s policies. It’s chilling, but his parents actually told him his brother was kidnapped and *eaten* by their starving neighbors. It really adds another layer to his story, doesn’t it?

He worked as a teacher and got married, even though he had sexual dysfunction. Despite being suspected and accused of numerous instances of sexually abusing children, Chikatilo wasn’t taken into custody. This may have been because Soviet authorities didn’t want to acknowledge that these types of crimes happened within their idealized society.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, he was responsible for numerous attacks, horrific injuries, and the killings of women and children. He avoided being brought to justice because of shortcomings in forensic science and a reluctance from authorities to acknowledge his crimes. Additionally, several gay men tragically took their own lives after being subjected to aggressive questioning and pressured by interrogators seeking confessions.

After carrying out 52 confirmed killings, he was finally apprehended in 1990 and put to death by a single gunshot in 1994.

Who we think should play him: Jason Watkins

Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono

As far as we currently understand, it’s unusual for serial killers to work together. Back in 1977, Los Angeles police were actively searching for ‘The Hillside Strangler‘, and at the time, they thought it was a single person responsible. This case was a major focus for them.

Actually, Bianchi and Buono were working as partners, both hunting for and killing victims. The two cousins lived together in Los Angeles, and the older Buono owned and operated an upholstery shop there.

To gain money (and, likely, to control women), they tried to become pimps by finding runaways and forcing them into prostitution. When their first two victims successfully escaped, they started over, but this time without even trying to profit from it.

The two men falsely claimed to be police officers, tricking young women and children into getting into their car. They then drove the victims to Bianchi’s store, where they were sexually assaulted and murdered by strangulation. The bodies were subsequently abandoned on hillsides in the area.

So, after they caught Bianchi, he tried playing crazy, you know, faking insanity. But eventually, he decided to rat out Buono, basically agreeing to testify against him if they went easy on him. As far as I know, he’s still locked up. Sadly, Buono passed away in 2002 – he had a heart attack. It’s a really dark case, honestly.

Who we think should play them: Miles Teller and Jon Bernthal

Joseph DeAngelo

The Golden State Killer was responsible for at least 13 murders and likely hundreds of rapes and burglaries between 1974 and 1986, but wasn’t brought to justice until 2020.

DeAngelo grew up in a military family, and his sister has stated that he experienced abuse from his father. He later joined the police force, but lost his job after being arrested for stealing from a store. Even while being dismissed, his lack of self-control caused him to threaten his supervisor with violence.

Despite spending decades committing crimes like burglary, rape, and murder, he somehow appeared to have a normal family life. His daughter described him as a “perfect father,” and his wife didn’t suspect anything about his frequent absences from home.

It’s just incredible how brazen this guy was! He’d actually send notes and call the police just to taunt them – can you believe that? He managed to stay hidden for so long, but eventually the police started looking at DNA. They had evidence stored away and were able to identify a number of potential suspects whose DNA could be a match. They really narrowed it down to just two people, and then – get this – they used a discarded tissue from DeAngelo’s own rubbish bin to get a positive ID! It’s amazing how something so simple could finally solve the case.

He entered a guilty plea to prevent a possible death sentence and is now incarcerated, serving several life sentences.

Who we think should play him: Robert Duvall

Joseph Naso

Known as the “Double Initial Killer”, Naso was found guilty of raping and murdering four women and girls. However, investigators believe he was responsible for many more deaths, potentially up to 26, occurring between 1974 and 1994.

He earned the nickname due to the fact that many of his victims – including Carmen Colon, Pamela Parsons, and Charlotte Cook – shared names that began with the same letter. There are claims that Naso selected his victims as a tribute to his idol, serial killer Caryl Chessman, but it’s also possible this was just a random occurrence.

Naso was somewhat of a wanderer, moving between different cities in California and working as a freelance photographer. People who knew him found him strange, and he was often called “Crazy Joe.” Later, investigators discovered that he had taken pictures of his victims positioned with pieces of mannequins.

In 2009, he was officially accused of murder. This happened when police, while checking if he’d broken the terms of his parole, found a diary and other clues linking him to several murders. He is now on Death Row in California.

Who we think should play him: John Turturro

Dennis Rader

Known as the “BTK” killer – an acronym for ‘bind, torture, kill’ – Dennis Rader is notable for committing a series of rapes and murders while outwardly appearing to be a respectable and successful citizen. He even served as president of his church council. What’s unusual is that he would sometimes go up to five years between crimes, indicating a level of self-control rarely seen in similar criminals.

Rader, who had a disturbing fascination with bondage and enjoyed inflicting pain, worked as a burglar-alarm engineer and later as a census supervisor. He meticulously planned his crimes, carefully stalking his victims and even giving his attacks project titles.

He enjoyed teasing the police by sending letters filled with both accurate and false details about his life. After communicating with the Wichita police anonymously for a while, Rader tested them by asking if they could track a floppy disk he mailed. The police lied and told him they couldn’t.

Surprisingly, Rader, who was usually very careful, actually believed their deception and inadvertently provided evidence against himself. He sent them a disk, and without realizing it, this disk contained hidden information within the deleted files – metadata – that revealed him as the sender.

He pleaded guilty in 2005 and remains in solitary confinement.

Who we think should play him: Jason Alexander

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2025-10-03 10:21