14 years after it was announced, Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio's serial killer series gets promising update

Shutter Island
(Image credit: Paramount)

Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio's series The Devil in the White City is still in the works, despite being canned by Hulu back in March 2023.

The project has been in development hell since DiCaprio bought the film rights to Erik Larson's similarly titled book back in 2010, five years before Scorsese got involved. Set to explore the relationship between Daniel H. Burnham, a visionary Chicago-based architect, and "America's first serial killer" Dr. H. H. Holmes in the late 1800s, it was originally intended to be a movie, though the aforementioned streamer announced plans to turn it into a TV show in 2019. 

Back then, John Wick's Keanu Reeves was lined up to star while Tár's Todd Field was lined up to direct two episodes. The pair dropped out without comment, however, in late 2022.

"I'm still involved. I never give up," producer Stacey Sher recently told Deadline. "It's not imminent, but it is not ever far from my mind. Rick [Yorn], Leo [DiCaprio], Jen [Davisson], and Mr. Scorsese; we're all still involved."

Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Operating in the late 19th century, Holmes is said to have killed anywhere from 27 to 200 people in his infamous World's Fair Hotel, which is believed to have included a secret gas chamber, dissecting room, and crematorium. The former pharmacist has inspired many characters across movies, TV, and even video games, such as Marvel star Evan Peters' James March in the fifth season of American Horror Story and The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me.

While we wait for more info on The Devil in the White City, check out our list of the most exciting new TV shows heading our way.

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Amy West

I am an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things TV and film across our Total Film and SFX sections. Elsewhere, my words have been published by the likes of Digital Spy, SciFiNow, PinkNews, FANDOM, Radio Times, and Total Film magazine.

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