Beauty has never looked this dangerous. The first images from Ryan Murphy’s The Beauty are dazzling enough to make you wonder what they’re hiding.
Giallo hues, razor-sharp glamor, and a too-perfect promise set the stage for The Beauty, where the cost of perfection is deadly. Ryan Murphy adapts Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley’s comic for Disney+, arriving January 21, 2026, with Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall as investigators Drew Foster and Kara Vaughn. Their hunt winds through political rot and mirror-bright facades, a delirious thriller already inviting comparisons to Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance. After recent mixed receptions for Murphy, the real suspense is whether the audacity on screen matches the depth beneath.
A bold new vision for science fiction: The Beauty
Science fiction fans are buzzing with anticipation as Disney+ prepares to premiere one of its most ambitious series yet. The Beauty, created by Ryan Murphy, will debut on January 21, 2026. Based on the graphic novel by Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley, the show promises a gripping blend of dystopian intrigue and striking aesthetics. What exactly is fueling the excitement around this project?
A deadly obsession with perfection
The Beauty centers on an intriguing premise: a beauty-enhancing drug that has swept the globe thanks to its transformative effects. One catch: continued use guarantees a shocking side effect, death. Against this thrilling backdrop, viewers follow the investigation of Drew Foster and Kara Vaughn, played by Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall, as they navigate a web of political corruption and personal desperation.
Murphy pushes into a timely examination of society’s fixation on appearance, channeling the graphic novel’s dark allure into personal drama set against systemic stakes. How far will humanity go for perfection, and what cost are we willing to accept?
A retro aesthetic inspired by giallo cinema
The series’ look is already a talking point. Drawing from 1970s Italian giallo, The Beauty promises bold contrasts, kaleidoscopic colors, and razor-precise cinematography. The sleek, stylized approach slots neatly into Murphy’s gift for crafting worlds that are both seductive and unsettling.
The cast amplifies the intrigue. Alongside Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall, Anthony Ramos joins the ensemble, with whispers of Gigi Hadid potentially lending her signature glamour. Early chatter points to visual kinship with Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance, while some critics wonder if Murphy will balance daring style with narrative weight.
Can Ryan Murphy meet expectations?
Ryan Murphy’s recent output has drawn mixed responses. After the triumphs of American Horror Story and Dahmer, certain projects were criticized for prioritizing spectacle over cohesion. For dedicated viewers, The Beauty signals a return to character-centric drama powered by audacious visuals.
As the January launch nears, anticipation keeps growing. Whether it becomes a breakout hit or a lightning rod for debate, The Beauty is shaping up to be a must-watch on Disney+.