August 20, 2013 - 10:31 AMT
History greenlights Adrien Brody’s "Houdini" miniseries

Adrien Brody will officially be working his magic for History, TheWrap said.

The cable network said that it has given the green light to "Houdini" a four-hour miniseries that will star "The Pianist" actor Brody as the legendary magician.

Production on "Houdini," which will be directed by Uli Edel and is a co-production of Lionsgate and A&E Studios, will begin in the fall.

The project will follow Houdini as he "finds fame, engages in espionage, battles spiritualists and encounters the greatest names of the era, from U.S. presidents to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Grigori Rasputin," the network said of the project. "The drama will chronicle the life of a man who can defy death through his stunts, his visions and his mastery of illusion."

Brody said that it is "beyond an honor" to be playing the iconic magician.

"Since my childhood, when I dreamed of being a great magician, Harry Houdini has been one of my heroes," said Adrien Brody. "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."