Martin Scorsese True Story Serial Killer Epic On The Way
Despite years in development hell, a key producer involved in Martin Scorsese’s The Devil in The White City claims the movie is still in the works. In an interview with Deadline, Stacy Sher, who has been involved with the decades-long production since the start, said she’s optimistic the film will be made. It’s an exciting update for fans of the iconic director, but it’s not quite proof that the movie is being made.
Leonardo DiCaprio’s Involvement With The Film
Stacy Sher’s optimistic comments about The Devil in The White City confirm there’s still interest in the project, though translating that into an actual movie has proven elusive. While she was clear in her assertion that the movie would happen, she also clarified “It’s not imminent, but it is never far from my mind,” so fans shouldn’t expect the film anytime soon. Perhaps the most important update from Sher was that Martin Scorsese and actor Leonardo DiCaprio are both still attached to the project.
Stuck In Development Hell For Decades
The Devil in the White City has become notorious for fans of Martin Scorsese due to its long and troubled history. Originally pitched by Leonardo DiCaprio in 2003, the project has been delayed by a rights battle, passed from studio to studio, and been reworked. Two different versions of the project have been planned, but neither made it to production.
DiCaprio Won The Bidding War In 2010
The infamously unmade Martin Scorsese film is an adaptation of Erik Larson’s non-fiction book The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America. Larson’s book is about the real-life serial killer H. H. Holmes who’s been accused of as many as 200 murders during the 1983 World’s Columbian Exposition. While the book’s historical accuracy has been largely derided, it was a hit and its novel-like approach was praised.
When the book was published there was a rush for the rights to adapt it into film, with Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Cruise publicly battling for who would get to make The Devil in the White City. When DiCaprio finally won the battle for the film rights in 2010, Martin Scorsese and screenwriter Billy Ray were tapped for the movie, creating a lot of excitement. Over a decade later, fans are still waiting.
Keanu Reeves Was Set To Star In Canceled Miniseries
The Devil in the White City has been pitched as a movie and as a mini-series, but both versions fell through. Paramount was set to produce the film version with Martin Scorsese as director and Leonardo DiCaprio as the star, but it fell through for unknown reasons. It was then reworked as a Hulu mini-series in 2019, with DiCaprio and Scorsese as producers and Keanu Reeves set to star, but that version was canceled in 2022.
Devil in the White City Isn’t Dead Yet
While many saw the Hulu mini-series falling apart as the end of the Devil in the White City saga, Stacy Sher’s claim that she’s still pushing for the movie means it’s not dead in the water yet. The fact that Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio are still attached certainly helps its case. Hopefully, the stars will align and fans will finally get the true crime Scorsese movie they’ve been waiting on for so many years.
Source: Deadline
