Speculation of a film version of Erick Larson’s best-selling novel Devil in the White City has been circulating for years, and now it appears to be on the verge of becoming reality. Hulu announced at TCA that Keanu Reeves has been cast as the protagonist of their upcoming adaptation of The Devil in the White City. Reeves will play Daniel H. Burnham, the forward-thinking architect at the centre of the plot.
Sam Shaw (Castle Rock) will serve as showrunner and head writer for the series, with Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, Rick Yorn, Jennifer Davisson, Stacey Sher, Todd Field, Mark Lafferty, Sam Shaw, and Keanu Reeves all serving as executive producers. As production on Scorsese and DiCaprio’s pet project got off in earnest in January, the announcement of Reeves’ participation made its way into the public eye. Over a decade ago, while Devil in the White City was still slated to be a feature-length movie under Paramount, Leonardo DiCaprio bought the rights to the film.
The film’s initial script was written by Billy Ray, and Scorsese was set to helm. However, the concept began to develop into a limited series between 2015 and 2019, and Hulu has now acquired the rights to air the series. Larson’s historical novel focuses on Daniel H. Burnham, a demanding visionary architect who plans to make history during the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair despite the presence of Dr H. H. Holmes, America’s first modern serial murderer and the man responsible for the infamous “Murder Castle.” While it is unclear if Reeves has been cast in the role of Burnham or the notorious serial murderer Holmes, this would not be the first time the actor has found himself at the scriptwriter’s desk.
In the romantic comedy The Lake House, he co-starred with Sandra Bullock as an architect. The star of The Matrix and John Wick would shine in either role. Shaw has been announced as the showrunner for Devil in the White City, while Todd Field has been cast in the role of director. There were rumours earlier this year that he might direct the pilot and episode one of the series, but now it seems as though he will be directing the entire thing. Shaw is most well-known for his work on the Stephen King-inspired Hulu series, which aired for two seasons. Castle Rock’s tone is quite similar to that of Larson’s novel. As manufacturing approaches, further updates are expected to emerge soon.