FX found a major hit with American Crime Story. Ryan Murphy's latest anthology series tackled the infamous murder trial of O.J. Simpson in its first season, and it cleaned up at the Emmys in major categories like Outstanding Limited Series and Outstanding Lead Actress. And while a second season has been in the works for a while, FX has now officially ordered a third season of American Crime Story.
Season 3 will run for ten episodes and reportedly be called Versace/Cunanan: American Crime Story. The plot would revolve around the murder of famous designer Gianni Versace outside his home in Miami back in 1997. Versace was killed by Andrew Cunanan, a serial killer who had already claimed four lives before Versace. Cunanan chose to kill himself rather than face arrest when he was finally discovered by Miami authorities eight days after murdering Versace.
The ten episodes will be based on a book called Vulgar Favors, which was written by Maureen Orth as an examination of the manhunt for Cunanan that very nearly failed entirely. English writer Tom Rob Smith is on board to pen the first two episodes, as well as an unspecified number of the other eight. He'll join the existing producing team of Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuck, Nina Jacobson, and Brad Simpson as an executive producer.
Ryan Murphy is set to direct the premiere of Versace/Cunanan. No casting news is yet available, but the Emmy-winning casting director team of Nicole Daniels and Courtney Bright are on board to find the best of the best for the key roles, which includes an actress to play Versace's sister Donatella. Deadline reports that filming will take place in Miami and Los Angeles starting in spring 2017.
Filming for American Crime Story Season 3 will commence at almost the same time as filming for American Crime Story Season 2, which will focus on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in 2005. Executives at FX were evidently so impressed by Tom Rob Smith's first episode script that the order for Versace/Cunanan was issued very quickly. Katrina will still air first.
It should be interesting to compare the three chapters of American Crime Story once they all air on FX. Each season looks to be going in a very different direction. People v. O.J. Simpson tackled one of the most high profile trials in American history, and Katrina will chronicle the events of a national disaster that crippled a region. Versace/Cunanan sounds like it will be taking advantage of the investigation into Gianni Versace's murder, rather than focusing on the legalities after the case concluded. Andrew Cunanan's suicide prevented investigators from entirely solving the mystery of his killing spree; we'll have to wait and see if American Crime Story Season 3 takes liberties with the real end of the story, or acknowledges that the fact that we'll likely never understand everything that happened.
We undoubtedly have a while to wait before we'll get to see American Crime Story's take on the death of Gianni Versace, so check out our fall TV schedule to see what you can watch in the meantime.
