New Paramount+ series Devil in Disguise, starring Michael Chernus as 1970s serial killer John Wayne Gacy, is in production in Toronto.
John Wayne Gacy explores lives of victims while exposing systemic failures that fueled his murders of 33 young men in a crawl space beneath his house.
Also known as the Killer Clown because he volunteered as a clown for sick kids, this “community leader” secretly kidnapped, murdered and buried 33 young men and boys under his house near Chicago, Illinois from 1972 to 1978.
The direction that the writers are taking with this project is important, focusing on the victims and their families as well as those who finally brought John Wayne Gacy to justice. While Gacy was the perpetrator of these horrific crimes, I’m relieved that he won’t be the main focus of the series.
It’s heartbreaking for me to think of what his victims (all young men and boys) could have done with their lives had the system not failed them so tragically. I believe in the power of storytelling and hope that by telling this story, in a thoughtful way, we can play some part in preventing this from ever happening again. — Michael Chernus on Instagram.
Michael Chernus as John Wayne Gacy.
Gabriel Luna as Detective Rafael Tovar.
James Badge Dale as Chief of Detectives Joe Kozenczak.
Devil in Disguise: Gacy.
Working title: JOHN WAYNE GACY: DEVIL IN DISGUISE
Toronto filming dates: September 23 2024 – February 28, 2025.
Cast: Michael Chernus, Gabriel Luna, James Badge Dale, Michael Angarano, Chris Sullivan, ,Marin Ireland.
Producers: Universal, NBC News Studios.