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Serial killer dramas and crime thrillers — like Peacock's upcoming show Devil In Disguise: John Wayne Gacy — keep me on the edge of my seat and often keep me up at night. With disturbing recounts like Ryan Murphy's Dahmer, I can't help but feel uneasy...and I also can't help but hit "next episode" every time a new show comes out.
While I don't want to turn murderers into movie stars or glamorize their heinous actions, getting an interpretation of some of this insane historical events and a look into the lives of the innocent victims is gripping. So how can we balance telling these stories while remaining sensitive to the victims and not putting these killers on a pedestal? Apparently we're not the only one's thinking about it. As it turns out, I wasn’t the only one with concerns. The actor set to portray John Wayne Gacy himself, Michael Chernus, initially refused the offer to play the notorious '70s serial killer due to similar moral misgivings.
“I didn’t want to be involved in something that was gratuitously showing graphic violence or sexual assault,” The Orange is the New Black alum told Vanity Fair, “The victims, if they’re named at all, only appear in their relation to the person who perpetrated the crimes.”
Fortunately, the Peacock series showrunner, Patrick Macmanus, has made the latest series with this exact moral dilemma in mind. That’s what separates Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy from less sensitive serial killer dramas.
Instead of prioritizing and offering a voice to the killer, this Peacock drama will focus entirely on the lives of the victims. Here’s everything we know so far about the scripted series.
Scroll to find out what we know about Peacock's Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy so far!
What’s 'Devil In Disguise: John Wayne Gacy' about?
Brooke Palmer/PEACOCK
Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy will “peel back the twisted layers” of his life while weaving in the heartbreaking stories of his victims, who were mostly gay, per the show’s synopsis.
For six years, from 1972 to 1978, a total of 33 young men were abducted, killed, and buried in a crawl space beneath John Wayne Gacy’s house. And the community had no idea.
“Not for all those years. Why? He was charming and funny. Had a good, all-American job. Was a community leader. He even volunteered to entertain sick kids while dressed as a clown,” according to the series’ press release.
John Wayne Gacy was ultimately convicted of 32 murders, and in 1994, he died via lethal injection after being sentenced to death. Now, Peacock’s latest project intends to dive deep into the trauma, guilt, and grief felt by the victims’ loved ones, as well as “expose the systemic failures, missed opportunities, and societal prejudices that fueled his reign of terror.”
Who's in the 'Devil In Disguise: John Wayne Gacy' cast?
Brooke Palmer/PEACOCK
The Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy cast includes:
- Michael Chernus (Severance, Spiderman: Homecoming)
- Gabriel Luna (The Last of Us, FUBAR)
- James Badge Dale (The Departed, Iron Man 3)
- Michael Angarano (Sky High, Oppenheimer)
- Chris Sullivan (This Is Us, Stranger Things)
- Marin Ireland (Materialists, Hell or High Water)
- Greg Bryk (Reacher)
- Cricket Brown (WeCrashed)
- Thom Nyhuus (Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities)
- Chloe Avakian (Locke & Key)
- Augustus Prew (1923, The Morning Show)
- Jake Horowitz (Bones and All, Manifest)
- Kristine Nielsen (The Gilded Age)
- Ryker Baloun (That '90s Show)
Who else is working on 'Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy' for Peacock?
Brooke Palmer/PEACOCK
The show, created by Patrick Macmanus, is inspired by the network’s same-named 2021 docuseries. That work delved into other high-profile crimes, such as the Menéndez murders.
When does 'Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy' come out?
PEACOCK
The show will premiere exclusively on Peacock on October 16, 2025. As you wait for Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy to hit the streamer, you can check out the 2021 six-part series on the serial killer, also available on Peacock.
Where can I watch 'Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy'?
Brooke Palmer/PEACOCK
You can stream Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy on Peacock!
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