The real-life stories of John Wayne Gacy will unravel in Peacock‘s Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy.
On Tuesday, the streamer unveiled the first full trailer (below) for the true-crime series that tells the stories of serial murderer John Wayne Gacy (Michael Chernus) as he targets young boys. The trailer begins with a 16-year-old knocking on his car door, eager to start working in construction with him, but then goes missing. Then it cuts to the grieving family saying, “Missing kids usually come home. What happens when they don’t?”
Later in the trailer, it shows Michael Angarano (Oppenheimer) portraying Sam Amirante, a lawyer who struggles with defending the criminal. Gabriel Luna (The Last of Us) plays Detective Rafael Tovar, who is trying to find justice.
The official synopsis of the series reads: “From 1972-1978, thirty-three young men were kidnapped, murdered, and buried in a crawl space beneath their killer’s house. And no one was the wiser. 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. Devil In Disguise: John Wayne Gacy 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.”
James Badge Dale (Savant, 1923), Michael Angarano (Oppenheimer), Chris Sullivan (This is Us) and Marin Ireland (The Irishman) are additions to the cast.
The series showrunner is Patrick Macmanus (Dr. Death, The Girl From Plainville). Executive producers are Noah Oppenheim (The Maze Runner, Jackie), Sarah Bremner, and Liz Cole (John Wayne Gacy: Devil in Disguise, The Thing About Pam) for NBC News Studios, Ashley Michel Hoban (Dr. Death, The Girl From Plainville), Ahmadu Garba (Dr. Death, Halo), and Kelly Funke for Littleton Road Productions. Directors include Larysa Kondracki, Ashley Michel Hoban, Maggie Kiley, Bille Woodruff and Patrick Macmanus.
All eight episodes will drop on Peacock Thursday, Oct. 16.