Elizabeth Banks to Play Karen Read in Amazon Limited Series About Murder Trial

Elizabeth Banks will play Karen Read in a limited series about the controversial trial in development at Prime Video and Warner Bros. Television, Variety has confirmed.

The series is based on the podcast “Karen,” which chronicled the true-crime saga of a woman accused of killing her boyfriend, a Boston police officer who was found dead in the snow. Read was on trial for murder and a slew of other alleged crimes, while her defense argued she was framed — the victim of a cover-up involving law enforcement agents. Read was ultimately acquitted of murder, manslaughter and leaving the scene. She was convicted of drunken driving and sentenced to one year of probation.

Justin Noble, the co-creator of “The Sex Lives of College Girls,” will serve as showrunner of the series, executive producing alongside David E. Kelley, who is best known for his courtroom dramas “Boston Legal,” “The Practice,” “Ally McBeal” and Apple TV+’s “Presumed Innocent.”

Banks is also serving as an executive producer on the project through her Brownstone banner, alongside her producing partner Max Handelman and Krissy Wall. Matt Kelley is an EP via David E. Kelley Productions along with Matt Tinker. Jen Sargent, Marshall Lewy, Aaron Hart and Jeni Mulein will also executive produce through Wondery, as will Rachel Stockman and Dan Abrams through Law & Crime.

Banks is an actor, director and producer 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.”

Amazon Prime Video did not immediately respond to Variety‘s request for comment. Deadline broke the news.