Ellis wrote two episodes of 'The Shards,' then walked away from the set entirely

Bret Easton Ellis drafted the first two episodes of FX's 'The Shards' with Ryan Murphy, then stepped back. Executive producer Brad Simpson told The Hollywood Reporter (29 July 2026) that Ellis told the team, "Go with God. Go make your show." Cast members Kaia Gerber and Igby Rigney said they never saw Ellis during filming. Murphy acted as the sole conduit. The series premieres 5 August on FX and Hulu.