Ryan Murphy’s ‘The Shards’ Trailer Teases Sex, Drugs & A Missing Girl

FX has dropped the first trailer for Ryan Murphy‘s anticipated new coming-of-age drama The Shards, based on Bret Easton Ellis‘ prep school thriller novel, ahead of its August 5 debut.

The trailer begins with Bret, played by Igby Rigney, pitch his latest story to his editor Terry (Wes Bentley). “It’s about a group of young people,” Bret reveals.

“Does it have sex in it, Terry (Bentley) asks, to which Bret (Igney) replies, “Yes.” Pink cocaine.. male hookers?” ‘That too,” Bret replies. “Everyone loves a good coming-of-age story,” says Terry.

First unveiled as a serialized audiobook before hitting the shelves in 2023, The Shards, from 20th Television and Ryan Murphy Productions, is a dark coming-of-age tale with semi-autobiographical facets for Ellis. Set in Los Angeles 1981, the story follows a 17-year-old version of Ellis during his final year at the elite Buckley prep school. Upending the character’s world is the arrival of a mysterious new student, Robert Mallory, whose unsettling presence coincides with the activities of a serial killer known as The Trawler.

The official logline: 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.

Rigney stars as Bret, 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), per the official logline. 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, including 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).

Gere’s (son of Richard Gere) Robert Mallory and Wright’s Graham Campbell are key characters in Ellis’ novel.

Murphy, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, Ellis, Eric Kovtun, Scott Robertson, Nissa Diederich, Tanase Popa, Nick Hall, Michael Uppendahl, Max Winkler, Kathleen McCaffrey and Brian Young executive produce. The series is produced by 20th Television.

The Shards premieres August 5 on FX and Hulu, as well as Disney+ internationally.

Check out the trailer above.