After 15 years of aborted attempts to make a movie about America’s first prolific serial killer, it appears Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio are finally moving forward with an adaptation of Erik Larson’s book The Devil in the White City.
As per Deadline, 20th Century have come on board for the project, which DiCaprio has held the rights to since 2010.
The Devil in the White City, published in 2004, is a nonfiction account of H.H. Holmes’ murderous exploits in 19th Century Chicago, particularly amid the backdrop of 1893’s World’s Fair.
The sudden reversal in fortunes for the film is not for the want of trying. As recently as 2022, Keanu Reeves was lined up to star in a Hulu series of the adaptation, though this current version of The Devil in the White City has DiCaprio reportedly in line to star and with Scorsese in talks to direct.
If it comes to fruition, The Devil in the White City would mark the seventh film collaboration between Scorsese and DiCaprio. They have worked together previously on 2002’s Gangs of New York, 2004’s The Aviator, 2006’s The Departed, 2010’s Shutter Island, 2013’s The Wolf of Wall Street, and 2023’s The Killers of the Flower Moon.
Scorsese, meanwhile, is next set to helm an 80-minute film about Jesus Christ. He told The Los Angeles Times that he’s “trying to find a new way to make it more accessible and take away the negative onus of what has been associated with organised religion.”
For more, check out the upcoming movies headed your way and our ranking of the best Scorsese movies.
