It Appears That "The Devil In The White City" Is FINALLY Going To Become A Movie, Directed By Martin Scorsese And Starring Leonardo DiCaprio
Deadline - The long-awaited film adaptation of Erik Larson’s bestselling book The Devil in the White City just got a shot of adrenaline, as sources tell Deadline that 20th Century has come on to the project with Leonardo DiCaprio in talks to star and Martin Scorsese in talks to direct. DiCaprio and Scorsese would also produce along with Stacey Sher, Rick Yorn and DiCaprio’s Appian Way partner Jennifer Davisson.
Sources add that there is currently no script for the pic, which is based on Larson’s nonfiction classic Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair That Changed America, first published in 2004.
DiCaprio and Scorsese have been developing the project for some time, and sources say they always felt this was a story that has resonated throughout the years and still does. DiCaprio first landed rights to the book in 2010, and though the project has gone through various stages of development over the years, (including a TV series adaptation at Hulu that never came to fruition), insiders say that following a meeting with 20th Century execs, all parties were on board to tell this story at the theatrical level.
I really don't want to get my hopes up, as I have before, but it appears that this is finally happening.
The Devil in the White City is getting a movie adaptation it deserves, and I am beyond hyped about it.
I’ve been waiting for this thing to hit the big screen since I read the book like 20 fukcing years ago. It’s one of my all-time favorites, and if you haven’t read it, what are you even doing with your life?
It blends together Chicago history, the World’s Fair, and H. H. Holmes- the original blueprint for every creepy villain ever. Author Erik Larson's writing is a combination of entertaining storytelling mixed with heavy historical/factual information that is just too good to pass up. If you are one of those people who wishes they read more, but can't seem to find anything to keep their interest, I cannot recommend this book enough to get you rolling. It really has everything, and Larson's writing is superb. The book is impossible to put down.
The fact that Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese are the ones reviving this makes this feel like the moment.
We’ve seen it in the works for over 20 years- Tom Cruise had the rights in 2003, and then DiCaprio swooped in with that move straight out of the Wolf of Wall Street playbook, buying the rights himself. Since then, we’ve had a bunch of starts and stops, including a failed Hulu series that probably went down faster than Shelly on Joe Pesci while he was explaining to her how to make the perfect veal parm in Casino.
We even had rumors and speculation as recently as 2022 about the studios finally getting their heads out of their asses, and making this happen.
Leo DiCaprio acquired the rights in 2010 with plans to adapt it as a film in which he would star as Holmes. Scorsese came on board to direct in 2015 with Billy Ray set to write the script. It was first put in development in Hollywood by Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner through their Cruise/Wagner banner via the shingle’s deal with Paramount, but the option lapsed in 2004.
Paramount reacquired the film rights in 2007 and set it up with producers Michael Shamberg and Sher. Hulu announced they were developing it as a series in 2019, with Reeves being reportedly in negotiations for a lead role in the show in January 2022.
Martin Scorsese, Rick Yorn, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson of Appian Way, Stacey Sher, Sam Shaw, and Mark Lafferty serve as executive producers on the series. Reeves will executive produce in addition to starring.
But Hollywood has been too busy putting out 15 different versions of the same Batman and Spider Man stories, and running the same plays that don't work over and over.
All when they've had a fucking slam dunk sitting right on their plates this entire time.
The perfect story. Already written and laid out for them. And the best part of it all is it's fucking true.
Let’s talk about this story for a sec.
----- SPOILER ALERT ----
The Devil in The White City is the twisted tale of Dr. H. H. Holmes, a man who built a literal house of horrors during the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago.
He’s got this charm, this charisma that draws people in, just to murder them in the most messed-up ways imaginable. You couldn’t write a better villain if you tried.
Plus, Chicago’s World’s Fair was this big symbol of hope and progress, so it creates this insane contrast between the excitement of the fair and the darkness lurking underneath. It’s like Scorsese and DiCaprio are going to give us Gangs of New York meets Silence of The Lambs meets a real-life horror story. And I’m all in.
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Can you fucking imagine? DiCaprio as Holmes?
Sign me up.
I can already hear him delivering that sociopathic charm with the kind of coldness that makes you want to watch, but also cover your eyes.
And Scorsese?
This could very well be his return to that perfect balance of gritty, historical storytelling that we all know and love.
We’re talking seven movies together for these two: Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed, Shutter Island, The Wolf of Wall Street, Killers of the Flower Moon, and now this.
It’s a dream team, and I’m honestly just pumped that they’re finally bringing this to life after years of delays.
The only question now is- who’s DiCaprio gonna play? Will he end up playing Holmes? Or will they cast him instead as Burnham?
Personally, I think he crushes both roles, but I would rather see him play the demonic mastermind rather than the architectural mastermind.
p.s. - this made me really sad to see on my blog from two years ago. I'd still really like to make this a reality
