‘The Shards’ a Go at FX; Ryan Murphy Series Based on Bret Easton Ellis Novel Casts Three Leads

A Ryan Murphy-produced series based on Bret Easton Ellis’ novel The Shards is officially happening at FX.

The Disney-owned outlet has picked up the drama, which FX put into development in May with Kaia Gerber attached to star. She’ll be joined by Igby Rigney (The Midnight Club), Homer Gere and Graham Campbell in the cast.

Ellis first released The Shards as a serialized audiobook via his podcast in 2020-21; a print version followed in early 2023. A different series project based on the novel had been set up at HBO but didn’t make it out of development. Enter Murphy: As The Hollywood Reporter noted in February, he began talks with Ellis to develop the project under his Ryan Murphy Television, which is based at 20th TV (the latter will produce the FX show).

The Shards is set in the early 1980s and contains some autobiographical elements from Ellis’ life. It centers on Bret (Rigney), a student at an elite L.A. prep school whose world is upended by the arrival of a mysterious new student, Robert Mallory (Gere), which coincides with the murders of a serial killer. Campbell (Appropriate on Broadway) will play Thom Wright, one of Bret’s close friends.

Although The Shards has a green light from FX, it does not yet have a writer on board. Murphy and Ellis will executive produce with Max Winkler (who’s also set to direct), Nick Hall, Kathleen McCaffrey and Brian Young.

Campbell is repped by CAA, Anonymous Content and Jackoway Austen.

Deadline first reported the news.