Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Scorsese Adaptation 'Devil in the White City' Lands at Paramount

After many years in development at Warner Bros., Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese’s planned serial killer movie “The Devil in the White City” has found a new home at Paramount, which just won a bidding war for the high-profile project, an individual familiar with the situation has told TheWrap.

Billy Ray (“Captain Phillips”) adapted Erik Larson’s 2003 nonfiction book “The Devil In the White City: Murder, Magic And Madness At The Fair That Changed America,” and it was Ray’s fresh take on the material that had buyers excited last week after WB let its option lapse on the film rights to the book.

DiCaprio will play Dr. H.H. Holmes, a prolific serial killer who stalked the fairgrounds at Chicago’s World’s Fair in 1893. The charming sociopath is rumored to have killed up to 200 people and studied the remains for science.

Also Read: Leonardo DiCaprio Does Not Fear Death in First Trailer for 'The Revenant' (Video)

“Devil in the White City” is a great project that languished for years at Warner Bros., which could never quite crack the material despite hiring an army of writers, including Oscar winner Graham Moore (“The Imitation Game”). The film offers DiCaprio the chance to channel his inner villain, and it’s the kind of role that could bring the actor his first Oscar, if “The Revenant” doesn’t take that honor next February.

DiCaprio and Scorsese last teamed with Paramount on “The Wolf of Wall Street,” which howled its way to five Oscar nominations. They also collaborated on “The Aviator,” “The Departed,” “Gangs of New York” and “Shutter Island.”

Also Read: Leonardo DiCaprio's 'The Revenant,' Matt Damon's 'The Martian' Stun Crowd at CinemaCon

Ray wrote and directed “The Secret In Their Eyes,” which STX will release on Nov. 20. The film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Julia Roberts and Nicole Kidman.

DiCaprio next stars in Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s “The Revenant,” which 20th Century Fox and New Regency will release on Christmas Day.

Larson is repped by APA and David Black Literary Agency.

19 Books That Scored Better Movie Titles, From 'Cruel Intentions' to 'Die Hard' (Photos)

Who says Hollywood ruins books? Sometimes the movie title improves on the original.
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"It's a Wonderful Life" (1946)

The classic film about how angels get their wings is based on a short story by Philip Van Doren Stern called "The Greatest Gift." What was first a self-published booklet turned into one of the most beloved films ever, and earned five Oscar nominations.
Various
"Cape Fear" (1962, 1991)

Joseph D. MacDonald's "The Executioners" has had two big screen adaptations -- one in 1962 starring Robert Mitchum and Gregory Peck, and one in 1991 from Martin Scorsese. In both bases they went with the title "Cape Fear."
Various
"Dr. Strangelove" (1964)

It took Stanley Kubrick a while to settle on a title for his take of Peter George's satirical novel "Red Alert." He ended up with one of the most unique titles in film history: "Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb."
Various
"Apocalypse Now" (1979)

Many filmmakers attempted to bring Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" to the big screen, but it wasn't until Francis Ford Coppola set it in Vietnam and renamed it "Apocalypse Now" that the narrative finally got a successful adaptation.
Various
"Blade Runner" (1982)

Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner" left some people scratching their heads, but Philip K. Dick's short story "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sleep?" -- on which it is based -- would probably have just added to any confusion.
Various
"Manhunter" (1986)

Hannibal Lecter had his big screen debut before "The Silence of the Lambs." Thomas Harris' first novel, "Red Dragon," was directed by Michael Mann and retitled "Manhunter." Brian Cox played Lecter.
Various
"Stand By Me" (1986)

Stephen King is best known for his horror/thriller stories, but with a different tone than most of his work, "The Body" was changed to "Stand by Me" in an attempt to reflect that.
Various
"Die Hard" (1988)

The team behind "Die Hard" changed more than just the title of Roderick Thorp's "Nothing Lasts Forever." John McLane was originally Joe Leland, Hans Gruber's name was Anton, and it was McLane's daughter office he got stuck in, not his wife's.
Various
"Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" (1988)

The source material for "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" had a darker tone than the eventual film. "Who Censored Roger Rabbit?" saw Roger Rabbit murdered, and his ghost hires private eye Eddie Valiant to find his killer.
Various
"Field of Dreams" (1989)

Nearly 70 years after Shoeless Joe Jackson's baseball career ended, most people probably wouldn't recognize the name, the take on W.P. Kinsella's novel "Shoeless Joe" was renamed "Field of Dreams."
Various
"Goodfellas" (1990)

Nicholas Pileggi's true-crime book "Wiseguys" was renamed by director Martin Scorsese. However, the nickname of "wiseguys" is mentioned in the final film.
Various
"10 Things I Hate About You" (1999)

Based on William Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew," the adaptation starring Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger brought things to the present day and gave it a more timely title, "10 Things I Hate About You."
Various
"Cruel Intentions" (1999)

Choderlos de Laclos' "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" got a direct adaptation in 1988, but was given a modern spin with "Cruel Intentions," which starred Ryan Phillippe, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Reese Witherspoon.
Various
"The 13th Warrior" (1999)

"Eaters of the Dead" was the original title for John McTiernan's adaptation, but author Michael Crichton supposedly was so disappointed with the film they changed the name.
Various
"O Brother, Where Are Thou?" (2000)

This very loose adaptation of Greek poet Homer's "The Odyssey" from the Coen brothers changed many details to fit their trademark style, including the title to "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"
Various
"Adaptation" (2002)

Coming from the mind of Charlie Kaufman, changing the title of "The Orchid Thief" to "Adaptation" was tame. Rather than telling the story of an author's search for a rare flower, Kaufman instead told the story of his struggles to adapt "The Orchid Thief."
Various
"There Will Be Blood" (2007)

Upton Sinclair's 1920s novel "Oil" served as loose inspiration for 2007's "There Will Be Blood," a much more dramatic title for the oil tycoon story.
Various
"Slumdog Millionaire" (2008)

The rags-to-riches tale that gave Dev Patel his start was inspired by the novel "Q&A" by Vikas Swarup in 2005. "Slumdog Millionaire" went on to win eight Oscars including Best Picture.
Various
"Carol" (2015)

The 1952 romance novel by Patricia Highsmith was later published under the title "Carol," which is the title of T0dd Haynes' Oscar-nominated 2015 movie.
Various