We knew they would work together again and now we have confirmation: Leonardo DiCaprio will headline Martin Scorsese's adaptation of Erik Larson's bestseller The Devil and the White City. That's a true crime novel about serial killer Dr. HH Holmes who murdered dozens or possibly hundreds in Chicago in the late 19th century. H.H. Holmes was born just a couple of years before the events in Gangs of New York so they're returning to roughly the same time frame of their first collaboration (hello Oscar nominations in craft categories)
This will be Leo's first serial killer role (if not his first villain) though it's always amusing to remember that Hollywood intended him to be our Patrick Bateman in American Psycho before history course-corrected and gave us the one we needed: Christian Bale. But let's not get sidetracked.
The Devil in the White City will be the sixth collaboration between the director and star. DiCaprio is still well behind Robert De Niro as Scorsese's foremost muse both in number of films and quality of films, but maybe some day he'll catch up to him? Scorsese turns 73 in November. Though he's definitely not Clint (85) or Woody (79) with the indefatigable prolificness neither is he all that slow. He averages about 5 movies a decade and Silence, currently in post, will be his fourth this decade already. By the time they release this one (2018?), we'll have our five for the decade unless Marty squeezes one more in somehow. But don't hold your breath. We first heard about this project way back in 2011 when they hired a screenwriter so there's finally a little bit of movement on it (presumably the script is written now)
In honor of Marty & Leo's partnership, their five movies together ranked in four ways just because...
THE MARTY & LEO FILMS
| In Order of Release | Quality (Best to Worst) |
Global Box Office Success |
According to Oscar (Most Loved to Least) |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Gangs of New York (2002) | The Departed great |
Wolf of Wall Street $392 million |
The Aviator (11 noms | 5 wins) |
| The Aviator (2004) |
The Aviator underappreciated at this point |
Shutter Island $294 million |
The Departed (5 noms | 4 wins incl BP so really it's #1) |
| The Departed (2006) |
Wolf of Wall Street divisive for a reason |
The Departed $289 million |
Gangs of New York (10 noms | 0 wins) |
| Shutter Island (2010) |
Shutter Island meh |
The Aviator $213 million |
Wolf of Wall Street (5 noms | 0 wins) |
| Wolf of Wall Street (2013) |
Gangs of New York ugh |
Gangs of New York $193 million |
Shutter Island (zero noms) |
Have you read this novel? Do you look forward to a Marty/Leo reunion or do you wish they would move on?