Winner of nine Primetime Emmy awards, and nearly universal acclaim, FX had a sensation this year with “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story,” and an anthology concept that proved to be a winning format. The network is already gearing up for season two, that is expected to bring many of the cast members of ‘The People v. O.J.’ for an entirely new story set against the backdrop of Hurricane Katrina. And before even a frame of that has been shot, season three is now starting down the development process very quickly.
Deadline reports that FX has gone ahead and given the order for the ten-episode, “Versace/Cunanan: American Crime Story.” The plan is for ‘Versace/Cunanan’ to shoot simultaneously with ‘Katrina,’ diving into the true story of the 1997 murder of fashion icon Gianni Versace by serial killer Andrew Cunanan, with Maureen Orth‘s book about the murderer, “Vulgar Favors,” serving as the source material. Here’s the book synopsis:
Two months before Andrew Cunanan murdered Gianni Versace on the steps of his Miami Beach mansion, Maureen Orth was investigating a major story on the serial killer for Vanity Fair. Now the award-winning journalist and Vanity Fair special correspondent tells the complete story of Cunanan, his unwitting victims, and the moneyed, hedonistic world in which they lived and died, culled from interviews with over 400 people, and details from thousands of pages of police reports.
In chilling detail, Maureen Orth reveals how Andrew Cunanan met his superstar victim…why police and the FBI repeatedly failed to catch Cunanan…why other victims’ families stonewalled the investigation…controversial findings of the Versace autopsy report, and more. Here is a late-century odyssey that races across America from California’s wealthy gay underworld to modest midwestern homes of families mourning their slaughtered sons to the celebration of decadence that is Versace’s South Beach. It is at once a landmark work of investigative journalism and a riveting account of a sociopath, his savage crimes, and the mysteries he left along the way.
Sounds like riveting stuff, and has all the ingredients that have made ‘American Crime Story’ intriguing so far: colorful, provocative characters; a sensational crime; and a setting and atmosphere that’s truly unique. Again, this one is moving fast, and apparently there’s already an A-list actress eyeing the role of Donatella Versace. However, the plan is still for ‘Katrina’ to air first, followed by ‘Versace/Cunnan,’ so you’re probably looking at 2018 until this airs. Check out a preview of Orth’s book below.