Ryan Murphy is about to take us back to 1980s Los Angeles. The TV producer mogul is adapting Bret Easton Ellis’ psychological horror novel The Shards, and he’s assembled quite the cast.
The Shards, which was released in 2021, is loosely inspired by the American Psycho author’s own life growing up. A TV adaptation initially started out at HBO, but those plans fell through. Now, Murphy has taken The Shards over to FX.
On July 16, key cast members were revealed. Who is playing the fictional version of Bret Easton Ellis? What about the mysterious Robert Mallory? TV Insider is breaking down all the updates about The Shards TV series.
When is The Shards coming out?
The Shards doesn’t have a premiere date yet. We first heard about the show’s move to FX back in May. Given the casting news, production will likely get underway this year. The earliest The Shards would premiere is 2026.
Who has been cast in The Shards?
Igby Rigney has been cast as a young Bret Easton Ellis in The Shards, per Variety. Rigney is best known for his roles in the Mike Flanagan TV universe, including Midnight Mass, The Fall of the House of Usher, and The Midnight Club.
Homer James Jigme Gere will play Robert Mallory, the new kid at the posh Buckley prep school that Bret attends. The 25-year-old is the son of Richard Gere. The Shards will mark his first major role.
In a Ryan Murphy-style twist, the young Gere will star alongside Kaia Gerber in The Shards. Gerber is attached to star in the series, but the character she’s playing remains unclear. Gerber’s mom, Cindy Crawford, was married to Richard Gere from 1991 to 1995.
Hayes Warner has also been cast in the adaptation as a series regular. The singer will play popular girl Debbie Shaffer, another student at the exclusive prep school. Deadline first reported the news on August 22.
Graham Campbell will play Bret’s best friend, Thom. The series will be his first TV role.
What is The Shards about?
The Shards takes place primarily in 1981, Bret’s senior year of high school. An older Bret recalls what happened that fateful year when he met Robert Mallory and the “Trawler” terrorized Los Angeles. Bret becomes obsessed with the serial killer who is seemingly targeting young women in the Los Angeles area. As Robert Mallory is welcomed into Bret’s friend group, Bret becomes convinced this enigmatic young man is hiding secrets.
The Shards was initially serialized by Ellis as an audiobook through his podcast before he traditionally published in 2021.
The Shards, TBA, FX
