After nearly two decades in development, a long-awaited screen drama about the 1893 World’s Fair may be coming at last. Hulu announced on August 4, 2022, that Keanu Reeves has officially joined the cast of the streaming service’s upcoming limited series The Devil in the White City. Back in January, rumors circulated that Reeves was in talks for an unidentified role.
The show will be an adaptation of Erik Larson’s best-selling 2003 non-fiction book that interweaves the true stories of renowned architect Daniel H. Burnham struggling to build the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Jackson Park, and the notorious H. H. Holmes, (allegedly) America’s first serial killer who launched a gruesome murder spree from his “Murder Castle” in a nearby Chicago neighborhood at the time of the World’s Fair.
Indiewire has announced that Reeves will be taking the role of Daniel Burnham, Director of Works for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. No casting for the killer Holmes has been announced to date.
Daniel Hudson Burnham (September 4, 1846 – June 1, 1912) played the greatest role in building one of the greatest world’s fairs. On November 8, 1890, Burnham was hired as Chief of Construction for the World’s Columbian Exposition, and he organized a bureau to oversee all the work to be done on all the grounds and buildings. Burnham absorbed the duties of Consulting Architect after his partner John W. Root died on January 15, 1891. On August 24, 1892, the executive committee of the exposition appointed Burnham as Director of Works, giving him much greater control over the construction of the fairgrounds. For more about Mr. Burnham, see: https://worldsfairchicago1893.com/tag/daniel-burnham/
Deadline reports that the eight-episode series is expected to begin shooting in 2023 and is targeted for a 2024 release. DITWC will be Reeves’ first major U.S. TV role, and he also will serve as an executive producer.
ReelChicago claims that the entire shooting will be filmed entirely in Chicago. Let’s get working on building that World’s Fair set!
