The devil works hard, but Martin Scorsese works harder. Word spread today that things are back on for the award-winning director’s cinematic take on the fan-favorite book, The Devil in the White City. With Leonardo DiCaprio in talks to star, the movie is picking up pace over at 20th Century Studios, which is the latest company to take a swing at the big screen adaptation of Erik Larson’s 2003 true-crime novel. Set in Chicago at the tail end of the 19th century when the World’s Fair took The Windy City by storm, the book has two main characters – World’s Fair architect Daniel Burnham and infamous serial killer, H.H. Holmes. Right now, it isn’t completely clear which role DiCaprio would be stepping into.

Please join us in taking a deep breath before we walk you through the production hell that has followed The Devil in the White City over the last 15 years. That’s right – the dream of the film is about to get its learners permit and jump behind the wheel of a car. Things started all the way back in 2010 when Ke$ha released her hit song “Tik Tok” and the first iPad made its way into stores. In those days, DiCaprio was spearheading the project under his Appian Way production company, likely after he read the book on one of his tropical jaunts. A full five years later, Scorsese signed on to helm the picture, marking another collaboration between the filmmaker and actor.

Then, in 2019, the movie was scrapped, and the duo decided to adapt the story into a series instead, with Hulu picking up the sure-fire hit. Things seemed to be moving along swimmingly for the production after Keanu Reeves was cast to star alongside DiCaprio. The pairing is one we would have died for and things seemed to be chugging right along with cameras set to pick up in early 2023. But it would seem that the production was just as cursed as Holmes’ murder castle when Reeves left the project in late 2022, with the series’ director, Todd Field, soon following suit. Early the next year, the title was left on the cutting room floor, only for a tease to come late last summer that maybe – just maybe – if we all wished hard enough, the movie would come back to life. And it looks like our wishes just might be coming true – although we won’t hold our breath just yet.

Why Are Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese Obsessed With ‘The Devil in the White City’?

We love to know that DiCaprio and Scorsese are fellow true crime nerds because why else would they be chasing a project for the better part of two decades? The story is a fascinating one that tells the tale of one of the United States’ first serial killers. Holmes created what would later become dubbed as a murder castle, a place with trap doors and maze-like passageways where he carried out multiple executions. Essentially, if DiCaprio and Scorsese don’t get their hands on the story, we’re looking at a sexy version told by Ryan Murphy.

Stay tuned to Collider for more (hopefully) positive updates about The Devil in the White City. Until then, you can stream Scorsese and DiCaprio‘s most recent collaboration, Killers of the Flower Moon, on Apple TV+.

via Collider