MUMBAI: History has announced that it has ordered a four-hour miniseries about the famed magician and his wife.

The Pianist star Adrien Brody will play Houdini in the Lionsgate/A&E Studios co-production, with House of Cards' Kristen Connolly playing his wife, Bess. Oscar nominee Uli Edel will direct the project.

The mini will trace the arc of Houdini's life from desperate poverty to worldwide fame. The drama will chronicle the life of a man who can defy death through his stunts, his visions and his mastery of illusion. Production will begin in the fall.

“Since my childhood, when I dreamed of being a great magician, Harry Houdini has been one of my heroes,” Brody said. “His bravery and obsessive determination still fascinate me. Houdini mastered the art of escape - not only from physical chains, but from poverty and the social constraints of a humble immigrant origin. His life story appeals to the universal longing for acceptance with which we all can identify. To portray him is beyond an honor.”