The Shards finally gets a release date as Ryan Murphy unveils his most seductive TV thriller yet

Ryan Murphy, a man whose TV fingers are never very far from the pulse (or, depending on your view, the jugular), is back with another glossy drama for FX and Hulu. This time he’s bringing Bret Easton Ellis’ 2021 novel 'The Shards' to telly—and if you know Ellis, you’ll know we’re not in for a chirpy bit of light entertainment.

Release Date and Where to Watch

Mark your calendars, or just make a note on your streaming service of choice: 'The Shards' lands on FX and Hulu on 5 August 2026. Frankly, I’m surprised anyone can plan that far ahead, but there you go. It’s coming out under the banners of 20th Television and Ryan Murphy Productions, with all the marketing muscle that implies.

Here’s What It's About

Set in the rather cocaine-dusted Los Angeles of 1981, 'The Shards' follows a seventeen-year-old version of Bret Easton Ellis (yes, the author himself is the protagonist—never let it be said he lacks confidence). He’s finishing his last year at the exclusive Buckley School, which would probably be more than enough drama for most, but things get properly strange when a newcomer called Robert Mallory arrives. Mallory’s entrance coincides—ever so conveniently—with the exploits of a serial killer known only as The Trawler. Naturally, adolescent angst is swiftly overshadowed by real danger.

The official logline is every bit as charged as you’d expect from Murphy and Ellis:

'Set against the vivid backdrop of 1980s Los Angeles, the series follows a group of privileged high school seniors at an elite prep school as they navigate identity, sex, jealousy, obsession, and the dangers lurking beneath the surface of American adolescence.'

If that sounds heavy on seduction and suspense—well, welcome to the entire career of both creators.

Here’s Who’s In It

• Igby Rigney
• Homer Gere
• Kaia Gerber
• Hayes Warner
• Graham Campbell
• Wes Bentley
• Evan Rachel Wood
• Jordan Roth

Not exactly short of talent, then. No word yet on who’s actually playing the serial killer—or if they’ll try to make you fancy them, as is the current trend—but Wes Bentley turning up is always a treat, even if he’s just lurking behind a hedge or staring suspiciously.

Behind the Scenes: A Lot of Executive Producers

There is, and I’m not joking, an entire football squad of executive producers on 'The Shards'. Leading the charge: Ryan Murphy, Nina Jacobson (usually excellent taste), Brad Simpson, Ellis himself, Eric Kovtun, and Scott Robertson. If that wasn’t enough, Nissa Diederich, Tanase Popa, Nick Hall, Michael Uppendahl, Max Winkler, Kathleen McCaffrey, and Brian Young also have their fingers in the pie. That’s either going to make for a cracking series or so many notes that no one recognises the script by the end.

Bit of Context: FX Love Their Book Adaptations

FX are no strangers to adapting books for telly. Just this year, they brought out 'The Beauty', a body horror series based on the Image Comics property (for anyone who missed it—think very creepy skin issues). In recent years, they’ve rolled out heavyweights like 'Shōgun' (off James Clavell’s dense 1975 novel) and 'Justified: City Primeval' (lifting from Elmore Leonard’s 1980 crime book 'City Primeval: High Noon in Detroit'). Basically, if there’s a buzzy book, FX are probably already trying to get the rights.