The Oscar-winning Director and the one-day-he-has-to-be-Oscar-winning Actor are set to team up for Paramount’s Devil in the White City, a film about Dr. H.H. Holmes (DiCaprio), a serial killer operating in Chicago in the late 1800s who may have murdered over 200 people.
The film is adapted from Erik Larson’s book of the same name and — like much of Scorsese’s work — will explore depravity and brutality. Given the director’s penchant for uncomfortable and unflinching portrayals of violence, you can bet this one won’t be for the faint of heart.
After all, Holmes is infamous for his “murder castle” a three-story, labyrinthine hotel designed for the express purpose of killing victims and disposing of their bodies. He also sold the skeletons of some of his victims to unsuspecting scientists and used the money to finance his grisly enterprise. Here’s a quote from the good doctor that will help round out your picture of his chracter:
“I was born with the devil in me. I could not help the fact that I was a murderer, no more than the poet can help the inspiration to sing — I was born with the ‘Evil One’ standing as my sponsor beside the bed where I was ushered into the world, and he has been with me since.”
As you can see, this probably won’t be the right choice for family movie night.
The project is still in its early stages and its release date is TBD, but we’ll keep you updated as the details filter in. In the meantime, avoid any charming gentlemen who invite you to stay at bizarre-looking, multistory hotels that they also happen to own.
