Ryan Murphy’s upcoming FX horror series The Beauty makes a major departure from its source material, changing a naturally spreading S-T-D into a profit-driven, engineered drug, a move already sparking discussion among fans.
The series, based on the Image Comics title by Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley, premieres with three episodes on January 21, 2026, on FX and Hulu in the U.S. and on Disney+ internationally. The first season will consist of 11 episodes, with weekly releases following the premiere and two episodes dropping in each of the final two weeks.
What Is The New Narrative?
The core narrative change is significant. In the original comic, “The Beauty” is a s*xually transmitted virus that spreads through intimate contact, transforming infected people into physically flawless individuals before killing them. The story explores themes of intimacy, consequence, and societal stigma.
For the television adaptation, creators Ryan Murphy and Matthew Hodgson have reshaped the threat. In the FX series, “The Beauty” is a miracle drug engineered and controlled by a shadowy corporation. This shifts the central conflict from a pandemic to a conspiracy.
The official synopsis states the show begins when international supermodels in Paris start dying in gruesome, mysterious ways. FBI Agents Cooper Madsen (Evan Peters) and Jordan Bennett (Rebecca Hall) are sent to investigate. Their global investigation leads them to Ashton Kutcher’s character, known only as “The Corporation,” a tech billionaire who created the drug to build a trillion-dollar empire. Protecting his secret is “The Assassin,” played by Anthony Ramos.
Ryan Murphy has described the show as his take on “Ozempic culture,” asking how far people will go for physical perfection.
“[The Beauty] was looking at, I call it the Ozempic culture. One little shot, and suddenly youโre going to look better and feel better, and all your problems are going to go away,” Murphy told Variety. “But what are you really working on?“
Full Cast And Character Details
The series features a large ensemble cast of well-known actors and notable guest stars.
The main investigators are:
- Evan Peters as FBI Agent Cooper Madsen.
- Rebecca Hall as FBI Agent Jordan Bennett, Madsen’s partner.
The central antagonists are:
- Ashton Kutcher as “The Corporation,” the secretive tech tycoon behind the drug.
- Anthony Ramos as “The Assassin,” the corporation’s lethal enforcer.
A key figure caught in the middle is:
- Jeremy Pope as Jeremy, an outsider whose life becomes entangled with the spreading epidemic.
The series also features an extensive list of guest stars, including Bella Hadid, who is connected to the fashion world central to the outbreak. Other confirmed guest stars are Isabella Rossellini, Vincent DโOnofrio, Ben Platt, Billy Eichner, Meghan Trainor, Peter Gallagher, and Nicola Peltz Beckham, among others.
Release Schedule And Where To Watch
The Beauty will have a staggered release. The first three episodes premiere simultaneously. After that, episodes will be released weekly, with the final two weeks each delivering two episodes.
The specific release schedule for U.S. viewers is as follows:
- Wednesday, January 21, 2026: Episodes 1, 2, 3
- Wednesday, January 28: Episode 4
- Wednesday, February 4: Episode 5
- Wednesday, February 11: Episode 6
- Wednesday, February 18: Episode 7
- Wednesday, February 25: Episodes 8 & 9
- Wednesday, March 4: Episodes 10 & 11
New episodes will air at 9 p.m. ET/PT on the FX linear channel and will be available to stream on Hulu at the same time. International audiences can watch on Disney+.
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Creative Team And Source Material
The series is created and written by Ryan Murphy and Matthew Hodgson. Murphy, Hodgson, and stars Evan Peters, Anthony Ramos, and Jeremy Pope all serve as executive producers. Jeremy Haun, co-creator of the original comic, is an executive producer on the series, while his co-writer Jason A. Hurley serves as a consultant, ensuring a connection to the source material despite the narrative changes.
The production is described as a large-scale, globe-spanning thriller, with filming taking place in New York City and locations meant to represent Paris, Venice, and Rome. Frequent Murphy collaborator Mac Quayle is composing the score.
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