True crime anthology series American Crime Story has been picked up for a third season before its second season has even started filming.
Deadline reports that the Emmy-winning Ryan Murphy series’ third season will be titled Versace/Cunanan, based on Maureen Orth’s book “Vulgar Favors” about the 1997 murder of Italian designer Gianni Versace at the hands of serial killer Andrew Cunanan. Multiple episodes of the 10-episode Fox 21 limited series will be written by London Spy writer Tom Rob Smith. Ryan Murphy is set to direct the first episode of the series, as he did for People vs. O.J. and is expected to do for Katrina.
The Versace/Cunanan season is scheduled to film alongside the Katrina season in early 2017, in part due to excitement from FX and Fox 21 execs surrounding Smith’s first Versace/Cunanan script. Though they will film almost simultaneously, Katrina is scheduled to air before Versace/Cunanan.
There is no concrete news yet in regards to casting. Along with Gianni Versace and Andrew Cunanan, Versace’s sister Donatella Versace plays a major part in the story so those are most likely the three leads. Emmy-winning People vs. O.J. casting directors Nicole Daniels and Courtney Bright are back for the third season.
The story of Versace’s murder at his Miami Beach mansion, and the subsequent suicide of Cunanan on a house boat, keeps more in line with American Crime Story‘s first season. Rather than focus on a murder trial though, Versace/Cunanan will center on a murder mystery and the hunt for a serial killer.
American Crime Story‘s third season will be executive produced by Smith, Murphy, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, and Brad Falchuk.