History is bringing the life of the famed magician to the small screen for a four-hour miniseries, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Adrien Brody, whose run with acting in the shoes of historical artists like Salvador Dali (“Midnight in Paris”) and Wladyslaw Szpilman (“The Pianist”), will be playing Harry Houdini and Kristen Connolly (House of Cards) as his wife for the Lionsgate/A&E Studios co-production, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The Houdini series portrays “the man behind the magic as he finds fame, engages in espionage, battles spiritualists and encounters the greatest names of the era, from U.S. presidents to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Grigori Rasputin. The drama will chronicle the life of a man who can defy death through his stunts, his visions and his mastery of illusion,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“Since my childhood, when I dreamed of being a great magician, Harry Houdini has been one of my heroes,” Brody said. “His bravery and obsessive determination still fascinate me. Houdini mastered the art of escape — not only from physical chains, but from poverty and the social constraints of a humble immigrant origin. His life story appeals to the universal longing for acceptance with which we all can identify. To portray him is beyond an honor.”
Houdini will start production in the fall with no set premiere date, according to Indiewire.