Fresh off The Matrix Resurrections, Keanu Reeves is reportedly in talks to portray one of America’s most prolific serial killers, Henry H. Holmes, in a TV adaptation of Erik Larson‘s 2003 novel Devil In The White City.
Leonardo DiCaprio originally purchased the rights to the book back in 2010 with plans to turn it into a feature with Martin Scorsese directing. Plans have since changed, and in 2019 Hulu picked up the project with plans to turn it into a series, although DiCaprio and Scorsese are still on board as producers.
The series will revolve around the true story of World’s Fair architect Daniel H. Burnham, one of the minds that molded and constructed the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. As Burnham works against the clock to pull the fair together, Holmes is starting to put together a building of his own.
A smooth talker with high intelligence, Holmes is a conman doctor set on taking advantage of those attending the giant festival, particularly young women. He hires multiple architects and uses his medical background to build what will later become known as the ‘Murder Castle,’ with multiple rooms made for torture and killing.
Todd Field will helm the first two episodes, with Sam Shaw (Castle Rock) adapting Larson’s book. Paramount TV Studios are producing alongside ABC Signature and DiCaprio’s Appian Way.
True crime remains immensely popular and it’s almost a surprise Larson’s novel hasn’t been adapted already. Reeves has actually portrayed a serial killer before, in the disastrous 2000 thriller The Watcher – he reportedly was not interested in the script but did the film anyway after a friend forged his signature on the contract, rather than get involved in a legal battle.
Let’s hope this portrayal of a serial killer turns out far better than that one did. Hopefully there are no forged signatures this time around. And what happened to that “friend”?
#Peace.Love.DevilInTheWhiteCity
