An adaptation of Erik Larson’s The Devil in the White City has been in the works for over a decade. The most recent incarnation was set up at Hulu as a limited series, but after losing leading man Keanu Reeves (John Wick: Chapter 4) and director Todd Field (Tar) last year, it seems that the streaming service has scrapped The Devil in the White City.
The Devil in the White City tells the story of Daniel H. Burnham, “a visionary architect who sets out to mark history with the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, and Dr. H. Holmes, America’s first modern serial killer and the man behind the notorious “Murder Castle” that was built in the shadow of the Fair.” THR’s report states that producers had been nearing deals with Jeremy Allen White (The Bear) and Jude Law (Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Dumbledore) to star in the series and were looking at Matt Ross (Captain Fantastic) to direct when Hulu pulled the plug. The Devil in the White City may not be completely dead, as ABC Signature will be shopping the series to other outlets. While sources say that White, Law, and Ross are still in play, it’s not clear if those deals will close if the project doesn’t find a new home.
The Devil in the White City was originally set up as a feature film with Martin Scorsese directing and Leonardo DiCaprio set to star. However, Hulu announced in 2019 that they would be developing The Devil in the White City as an eight-episode limited series instead. Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio remained on board as executive producers. Sam Shaw was set to serve as writer and showrunner on the project, and would also have executive produced alongside Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, Rick Yorn, Jennifer Davisson, Stacey Sher, Lila Byock, and Mark Lafferty.
I feel like I’ve been following this project for nearly the entire time it’s been in development, and while I was the most excited when it looked as though it would be a Scorsese/DiCaprio movie, I quickly got on board with the prospect of a series instead. Given how long it’s been in development, I can only hope that The Devil in the White City finds a new home following its exit from Hulu.
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