As “Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy” is set to debut this Thursday, Peacock is already planning its next chapter by exploring the chilling case of another infamous serial killer. Variety has confirmed that discussions are underway with anthology series executive producer Patrick Macmanus to spotlight the second season of “Devil in Disguise” on Richard Ramirez, known as the “Night Stalker.”
Initial discussions are taking place to develop a new season of “Devil in Disguise” focused on Ramirez, the brutal serial killer, rapist, and burglar who wreaked havoc across Los Angeles and Southern California from 1984 to 1985. Ramirez is suspected of murdering at least 15 individuals; the diverse profiles of his victims rendered his actions particularly unpredictable.
Ramirez was apprehended in August 1985 and was eventually convicted on all 43 counts against him; he passed away in prison in 2013 while awaiting execution on death row.
Macmanus, known for his work on “Dr. Death” and “The Girl From Plainville,” will take the helm as showrunner and executive producer for the Ramirez installment of “Devil in Disguise,” collaborating with his team from Littleton Road Productions. Universal Studio Group’s UCP, the home of Littleton Road, will serve as the studio for this project.
Peacock is no stranger to Ramirez’s story, having previously aired the two-part NBC News Studios docuseries “Richard Ramirez: The Night Stalker Tapes.” In addition, a Netflix docuseries titled “Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer” in 2021 also covered Ramirez.
Recently, Macmanus and his team have been active at Peacock, opening a writers room for “Vigilante,” a series inspired by the true story of Texas search-and-rescue operator Tim Miller, who believes he has finally uncovered the truth behind his daughter’s murder. Additionally, Peacock acquired “Crush,” a true crime series centered around the murder case related to the notorious “Jenny Jones” episode, produced in collaboration with Elizabeth Banks and Max Handelman’s Brownstone Productions along with Elliot Page’s Pageboy Productions.
Moreover, “Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy,” which premieres on October 16 on Peacock, is also in the works. Macmanus and his team are contemplating transforming “Devil in Disguise” into an anthology franchise, further expanding upon the Ramirez narrative.
The cast of “Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy” includes Michael Chernus (“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 show’s logline states that it “peels back the twisted layers of Gacy’s life while weaving in heartrending stories of his victims; exploring the grief, guilt, and trauma of their families and friends; and exposing the systemic failures, missed opportunities and societal prejudices that fueled his reign of terror.”
Macmanus serves as showrunner, writer, and executive producer, with additional executive producers including Noah Oppenheim (“The Maze Runner”), Sarah Bremner, and Liz Cole (“The Thing About Pam”) from NBC News Studios; along with Ashley Michel Hoban, Ahmadu Garba, and Kelly Funke from Littleton Road Productions.
Macmanus directed Episode 8 of the series, with additional direction by Larysa Kondracki, Ashley Michel Hoban, Maggie Kiley, and Bille Woodruff. The show is produced by Universal Studio Group’s UCP, where Macmanus and Littleton Road have maintained an overall deal for nearly a decade.
Macmanus is represented by Josh Hornstock at UTA and Evan Corday at Gameplan Media.
