It's been quite the ride for Keanu Reeves and his exciting career throughout the past couple of years, and it doesn't look like the momentum he has garnered is slowing down any time soon. The Matrix Ressurection star is in talks to take the lead in a new Hulu original series, an adaptation of Erik Larson's 2003 novel The Devil in the White City.
Unfortunately, the project had spent a significant amount of time in cinematic purgatory ever since 2010 when Leonardo DiCaprio, one of the series executive producers, brought the film rights to the novel. The project was initially a feature at Paramount Picture, with Martin Scorsese taking the helm as director. However, a development circus prevented the film from moving much further, leaving it in a state of inactivity until Hulu announced it would develop the series in 2019.
If Reeves and Hulu can iron out the details and come to an agreement, news of which was first reported by Deadline, this would mark The Matrix 4 star's first significant TV role. Reeves has stolen the show in his extensive features, but a strong move into TV would be a massive step within his already solid career. As stated earlier, the streaming platform announced in 2019 that it would develop the big-budget series with DiCaprio and Scorsese signing on to executive produce the project. Rick Yorn, Sam Shaw, Jennifer Davisson, and Stacey Sher will join the adaptation team alongside the two prominent Hollywood names. Todd Field, the director behind Little Children, is set to direct the first two episodes of the highly-anticipated series.
However, the production of this project isn't a simple one, as Stacey Sher pointed out in a 2020 interview with Deadline in April. Sher, the producer behind Pulp Fiction and Erin Brockovich, is joining The Devil in the White City as a producer and spoke about the complexities rooted in transforming such a massive story from novel to screenplay. "I'm really excited about it and I hope we're going to make it. Sam Shaw has done a remarkable job crafting it. In that case, the challenges were how do you get it down to two hours, so many enormously talented people have attempted to do that. We're still in development and hopefully getting ready to get out of it soon." Shaw is well-equipped and a seasoned writer who can effortlessly transfer ideas between the two mediums. His previous works include Castle Rock and Manhattan.
The Devil in the White City tells the true story of two individuals who Larson meticulously researched for his novel, Daniel H. Burnham and Henry H. Holmes. The story takes place at The Chicago World's Fair of 1893, where the two characters's paths became infinitely connected. Daniel H. Burnham was a brilliant and punctilious architect, striving to make his imprint on the world. At the same time, Henry H. Holmes dabbled in horrendous murder, using the fairground as his murderous playground. Holmes is described as good-looking and cunning, using his wits and doctoral skills to torture and murder young women. It's a compelling tale filled with mystery, horror, and intrigue, which gives the streaming platform several creative ways to bring the classic novel to life.
Many moving pieces are behind the formation of this series, and it looks as if things are finally beginning to fall into their proper place. The story in itself is a fascinating one, which is sure to translate well onto the screen if handled well. Of course, adding Reeves to the formula would only help boost excitement, but it's unclear which character's shoes his talents would fill. With the likes of DiCaprio and Scorsese, this is sure to be a stimulating adventure into the nightmarish world of yesterday's past. No official release date has been set for The Devil in the White City since the early development phase is still in motion, but one can expect more pieces of information to arise soon as the cast becomes more solidified.
The Devil in the White City is in development for Hulu.
Source: Deadline