While “The Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy” opens this Thursday, Peacock is already cycling another serial killer story for its next film. Variety has learned that the streamer is in talks with the anthology series’ executive producer Patrick McManus for a second season of Devil in Disguise, which will focus on Richard Ramirez, the infamous “Night Stalker.”
Early talks are underway to consider a new film, “Devil in Disguise,” which tells the story of Ramirez, the serial killer, rapist, and robber who terrorized Los Angeles and Southern California from 1984 to 1985 and became known as the “Night Stalker.” Ramirez is believed to have killed at least 15 people. Because his victims varied in age, gender, and background, which made Ramirez’s crimes very difficult to predict.
Ramirez was finally arrested in August 1985 and ultimately found guilty on all 43 charges. The perpetrator died in prison in 2013 while serving a death row inmate.
McManus (Dr. Death, The Plainville Girl) will serve as showrunner and executive producer on Ramirez’s version of The Devil in Disguise, along with the team at Littleton Road Prods. The studio is Universal Studios Group’s UCP, based on Littleton Road.
Peacock is already familiar with Ramirez’s story, having previously directed the two-part documentary series “Richard Ramirez: The Night Stalker Tapes” for NBC News Studios. Elsewhere on TV, Ramirez was the subject of Netflix’s 2021 documentary “The Night Stalker: Hunting a Serial Killer.”
McManus and team have been busy at Peacock lately. McManus recently opened the writers’ room for “Vigilante,” an adaptation of the podcast about Texas-based search and rescue worker Tim Miller. Tim Miller believes he has finally solved his daughter’s murder. Peacock also purchased the true crime series “Crash,” which depicts the episode of “Jenny Jones” that led to the murder. Elizabeth Banks and Max Handelman’s Brownstone Productions and Elliot Page’s Pageboy Productions are producing “Crash” along Littleton Road and McManus.
And then there’s “The Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy,” which premieres on Peacock on Oct. 16. McManus and his team are considering turning Devil in Disguise into an anthology series, as Ramirez’s story is currently in development as a sequel.
Starring Michael Charnas (Severance), Gabriel Luna (The Last of Us), James Badge Dale (Savant), Michael Angarano (Oppenheimer), Chris Sullivan (This Is Us), and Marin Ireland (The Irishman), the film will “peel back the twisted layers of Gacy,” according to the logline. Interwoven with the heartbreaking stories of the victims. Exploring grief, guilt, and trauma in family and friends. and exposed the systemic failures, missed opportunities, and social prejudices that fueled his reign of terror.
McManus is showrunner, writer and executive producer, and executive producers also include NBC News Studios’ Noah Oppenheim (The Maze Runner), Sarah Bremner and Liz Cole (The Thing About Pam). Ashley Michelle Hoban, Ahmadu Garba and Kelly Funke of Littleton Road Productions;
McManus directed episode 8 of the series. Larysa Kondraki, Ashley Michelle Hoban, Maggie Kiley, and Bill Woodruff also directed. The show is presented by Universal Studios Group’s UCP, with which McManus and Littleton Lord have had an overall deal for the past nine years.
McManus is repped by Josh Hornstock of UTA and Evan Corday of Gameplan Media.
