Ryan Murphy’s new thriller, The Shards, based on the bestselling novel by Bret Easton Ellis, arrives in August on Disney+ in the UK and Hulu and FX in the US

Mark your calendars for August this year because Ryan Murphy’s latest thriller, The Shards, is officially on its way – and we finally have a first look at the dark, prep-school thriller.

Based on the bestselling novel by Bret Easton Ellis, the ten-part series follows a group of teenagers at an elite LA prep school whose privileged lives are upended when a serial killer begins stalking the city.

I am already counting down the days. Ryan has assembled a seriously impressive cast for this suspense-filled ride, including Emmy-nominee Evan Rachel Wood and BAFTA-nominee Wes Bentley. Given the TV producer’s track record for delivering sleek, twisted and utterly compelling thrillers, I’ve got high hopes for this one!

What is The Shards about?

Promising “suspense, seduction and obsession,” The Shards follows a group of privileged high school seniors at an elite prep school in 1980s Los Angeles, where they navigate “identity, sex, jealousy, obsession and the dangers lurking beneath the surface of American adolescence”.

A first look at The Shards© FX/Disney+
The Shards premieres in August

The synopsis continues: “At its center is Bret (Igby Rigney), an aspiring writer and keenly observant teenager whose reality begins to unravel with the arrival of a mysterious and magnetic new student, Robert Mallory (Homer Gere). Transferring in just before his senior year, Robert’s appearance coincides with the growing terror of The Trawler, a serial killer targeting teenagers across the city.

“Alongside Bret is his elite social circle, which consists of Susan Reynolds (Kaia Gerber), Debbie Schaffer (Hayes Warner) and Thom Wright (Graham Campbell), a glamorous and deeply entangled group drawn into a life of wealth, beauty, parties and excess. The promise of their youth is contrasted with the dark and cynical world of the adults surrounding them: Terry Schaffer (Wes Bentley), Liz Schaffer (Evan Rachel Wood) and Steven Reinhardt (Jordan Roth).”

Wes Bentley attends the Deadline Contenders Television event at Directors Guild Of America on April 16, 2023 in Los Angeles, California© Getty
Wes Bentley stars in the series as Terry Schaffer

Who stars in The Shards?

Igby Rigney (The Fall of the House of Usher) leads the cast as Bret. He’s joined by Homer Gere (Euphoria) as new student, Robert Mallory.

Rounding out the main cast are Kaia Gerber (American Horror Story: Double Feature), Hayes Warner, Graham Campbell (Late Fame), Evan Rachel Wood (Westworld), Wes Bentley (Yellowstone) and Jordan Roth.

Kaia Gerber in a black sparkly v neck dress.© FilmMagic via Getty Images
Kaia Gerber plays high school student, Susan Reynolds

How to watch The Shards

The series will premiere on 5 August on Hulu and FX in the US and on 6 August on Disney+ in the UK.