Washington DC [US], January 23 : Oscar-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio and critically acclaimed director Martin Scorcese are looking for a reunion with the long-awaited film adaptation of Erik Larson's bestselling book 'The Devil in the White City', reported Deadline.
The 20th Century Studios, an American film production house is reportedly in talks with Leonardo to star and Scorcese to direct the film adaption of a book which will also mark their reunion on the big screens.
As per Deadline, DiCaprio and Scorsese are also expected to produce the film along with Stacey Sher, Rick Yorn and DiCaprio's Appian Way partner Jennifer Davisson.
There is currently no script for the pic, which is based on Larson's nonfiction classic Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair That Changed America, first published in 2004.
Leonardo and Scorsese have been developing the project for some time, and it is believed that they always felt the story of Erik's bestselling book 'The Devil in the White City' has resonated with them throughout the years and still does, reported Deadline.
The 'Titanic' actor first landed rights to the book in 2010, and though the project has gone through various stages of development over the years, Deadline sources of Hollywood claim that all the parties involved with the production of the film have come on board to release this story on a theatrical level.
It came after a meeting with the executives of 20th Century Studios.
The story of 'Devil in the White City' follows Dr. HH Holmes, a cunning serial killer believed to have murdered anywhere from 27 to 200 people at a time when the city of Chicago was enthralled with hosting the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893.
The book plays off the contrasts between the hopeful expectations and wonders presented at the exposition and the dark deeds of Holmes, who manoeuvred in its shadows and built a carefully concealed house of horrors.
If the project comes to fruition, then this will mark another big victory for 20th Century Studios after they bagged the distribution rights of films like 'Deliver Me From Nowhere' starring Jeremy Allen White playing the role of guitarist Bruce Springsteen and 'The Barrier' starring Austin Butler with Edward Berger direction.
Asbell, Greenbaum and SVP Production Sarah Shepard will be overseeing Devil in the White City for the studio, stated Deadline.