Elizabeth Banks to Play Karen Read in Amazon Show About Murder Trial
Elizabeth Banks has been cast to play the role of Karen Read in an upcoming limited series that is currently in development at Prime Video and Warner Bros. Television. The series is based on the gripping true-crime story chronicled in the podcast “Karen,” which delves into the controversial trial of a woman accused of killing her boyfriend, a Boston police officer who was found dead in the snow. Throughout the trial, Read faced accusations of murder and various other crimes, with her defense team arguing that she was framed as part of a cover-up involving law enforcement agents. In the end, Read was acquitted of murder, manslaughter, and leaving the scene, but was convicted of drunken driving and sentenced to one year of probation.
Justin Noble, known for his work on “The Sex Lives of College Girls,” has been tapped to serve as the showrunner of the series. He will be joined by executive producer David E. Kelley, renowned for his work on courtroom dramas such as “Boston Legal,” “The Practice,” “Ally McBeal,” and Apple TV+’s “Presumed Innocent.”
In addition to her starring role, Elizabeth Banks is also serving as an executive producer on the project through her production company, Brownstone. She will be joined by producing partner Max Handelman and Krissy Wall. Other executive producers include Matt Kelley from David E. Kelley Productions, as well as Jen Sargent, Marshall Lewy, Aaron Hart, Jeni Mulein, Rachel Stockman, and Dan Abrams from Wondery.
Banks, a multi-talented actor, director, and producer, is best known for her roles in “The Hunger Games” franchise and “Pitch Perfect.” She also directed and produced the 2023 hit horror comedy “Cocaine Bear.” Banks and Brownstone are represented by UTA, Untitled Entertainment, and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.
As of now, Amazon Prime Video has not provided any official comments on the project. The news was first reported by Deadline. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting new series as it continues to develop.
