Keanu Reeves will star in an upcoming adaptation of Erik Larson’s “Devil in the White City” on Hulu, marking the actor’s first major U.S. television role.
The streaming platform announced on Thursday during the virtual TV Critics Association press tour that a limited series had been greenlit for the drama.
“Devil in the White City” is based on the true story of Daniel H. Burnham, a successful architect who made history at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1983, and Dr. H. H. Holmes, the infamous serial killer who masterminded the “Murder Castle” built on the fair grounds. Reeves will be taking on the role of Burnham while the casting of Holmes has yet to be announced.
Martin Scorsese, Rick Yorn, Leonardo DiCaprio and his producing partner Jennifer Davisson of Appian Way, Stacey Sher, Sam Shaw and Mark Lafferty are executive producers on the series. Reeves will also executive produce on top of starring. Sam Shaw serves as showrunner and will be adapting the novel for television while Todd Field has been set to direct and executive produce. The series will be produced by ABC Signature in association with Paramount Television Studios.
The latest development comes after years of rumors swirling around “Devil in the White City,” after DiCaprio first purchased the rights to the novel in 2010 with plans to adapt it into a feature-length film.
The upcoming adaptation will be Reeves’ first major small screen excursion, with the “Matrix” and “John Wick” star having mainly worked as a film actor. Reeves took on several made-for-TV films early on in his career and had a brief stint in the 2016 comedy series “Swedish Dicks.”
The eight-episode series is expected to launch in 2024, with production beginning next year.
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