Keanu Reeves has quit the highly anticipated series, The Devil in the White City, a series set to be executive produced by Leonardo DiCaprio and iconic director Martin Scorsese. Reeves was set to portray the character of architect Daniel Burnham, the man behind the 1893 World Fair, which was held in Chicago. The news was first reported by Variety.

The series depicts the story of Burnham and HH Holmes, the serial killer who terrorized Chicago during the World Fair. It is an adaptation of a similarly titled book by Erik Larson. In an earlier version of the adaptation, which was set to be a feature film, DiCaprio wanted to portray the role of Holmes while Scorsese was to serve as the director. 

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It was the Titanic star who bought the rights to the book. The adaptation of The Devil in White City has faced many roadblocks over the years. It was being developed by Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner’s company, but their option to do so lapsed in 2004. Paramount later set up the production with Michael Shamberg and Sher, but nothing came of it as well. The book is now being adapted as a miniseries by Hulu. It remains to be seen how Reeves’ quitting affects its future.

The show, according to its official logline, “tells the true story of Daniel H. Burnham, a demanding but visionary architect who races to make his mark on history with the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, and Dr. H. H. Holmes, America’s first modern serial killer and the man behind the notorious ‘Murder Castle’ built in the Fair’s shadow.”

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Although a number of publications have reached out to Reeves’ representatives for his reasons behind quitting the show, no explanation has yet been provided.

Besides DiCaprio and Scorsese, the show is set to be executive produced by Rick Yorn, Appian Way’s Jennifer Davisson, Stacey Sher, Sam Shaw, and Mark Lafferty.