According to Deadline, ABC Signature is looking for new home for its limited series Devil in The White City after it was dropped by Hulu. Initially, Keanu Reeves (The Matrix, John Wick) was attached to star however he exited the project in October; soon after director Todd Field (Eyes Wide Shut, Tár) left as well. The series had an eight-episode order and was looking to start production this year.
ABC Signature was not able to find replacements despite offers, but they are still hopeful that the series will find a new home as they remain committed to the project.
Devil in the White City was meant to tell the story of a demanding yet visionary architect racing to make his mark in the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, Daniel H. Burnham, and America’s first modern serial killer, Dr H. H. Holmes, the man behind the “Murder Castle”.
The series comes from ABC Signature in association with Paramount Television Studios. It was to be executive produced by Martin Scorsese (Shutter Island, Goodfellas), Rick Yorn (The Wolf of Wall Street, Long Strange Trip), Leonardo DiCaprio (Inception, Titanic), Jennifer Davisson (Robin Hood, The Revenant), Stacey Sher (Freedom Writers, Get Shorty), Sam Shaw (Paris Blues, Gloria), Lila Byock (Watchmen Castle Rock), and Mark Lafferty (The Right Stuff, Halt and Catch Fire).
DiCaprio originally bought the film rights to The Devil in the White City book and set it up as a feature at Paramount in 2010 with Scorsese directing and the project has been in various stages since. Hulu announced the series was in development with Scorsese and DiCaprio executive producing in 2019.