Update, October 10, 2022: Keanu Reeves’s pivot to streaming will have to wait. Per a Variety exclusive, the actor has left the Hulu serial-killer period piece The Devil in the White City, where he was originally cast as architect Daniel H. Burnham in what would have been the movie star’s first major American television role. Reps for Reeves and Hulu declined to comment on the Variety story — though I really want to check in on Leonardo DiCaprio, who is probably devastated that his decades-in-the-making project is hitting yet another hurdle. Director Todd Field has also left the project, per Variety. Field will undoubtedly have to, um, field questions about his departure while on the Oscars campaing for Tár. There’s no word yet on who will replace Reeves and Field, but don’t stress too much. Serial-killer IP is in vogue right about now.
Original story, published August 4, 2022, follows.
It’s finally happening, y’all. According to People, the angel and possible immortal known as Keanu Reeves will star in Hulu’s upcoming series Devil in the White City, which is based on the book of a similar name by Erik Larson. This is big news for Reeves, since it’s his first major U.S. television role, but it’s possibly even bigger news for Leonardo DiCaprio, who owns the film rights for the book and has been waiting since 2010 for a project to come to fruition. DiCaprio will executive-produce alongside Reeves and Martin Scorsese. Castle Rock producer Sam Shaw will write the script, while Little Field director Todd Field will direct.
Set against the backdrop of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, Devil in the White City follows Dr. H. H. Holmes, the real-life con artist who’s been called America’s first serial killer. Reeves will play Daniel H. Burnham, the chief architect who was in charge of the fairgrounds where Holmes created his infamous “Murder Castle.†It’s not clear yet who will play Holmes — DiCaprio was previously attached to the role back when it was being floated as a movie adaptation, but according to The Hollywood Reporter, he is not expected to appear onscreen in this series. But there’s no need to feel too sad for DiCaprio. He’s evidently been exploring his mass-murderer options.