Elizabeth Banks to star in true crime series based on Karen Read murder case

As Banks put it when announcing the project, “I grew up in Massachusetts, and like so many people there, we watched this case divide families, friends, and entire towns. We have spent years with this material because the questions it raises go far beyond one courtroom: why we choose the stories we believe, and what happens when trust in our institutions breaks down. Justin has written a series that respects and treats with care the complexity of what happened and the public reaction to it.”

Noble has a more narratively driven view of the series, explaining, “This case has more twists and turns than any story I’ve ever consumed, real or fictional. It makes M. Night Shyamalan look like Nora Ephron.” He did add, echoing Banks’ more weighty concerns, “But the reason this story resonates and must be told is because of the profound takeaways it leaves us with: about a deeply imperfect justice system that urgently needs change, about the mistreatment of women by those who weaponize and abuse their power, and about a victim who deserves to be remembered.”

As for Read herself, the as-yet untitled series does not have her blessing, as she denies any involvement with the Prime Video project, and is currently developing film and book projects about her story. “I have nothing to do with that,” Read said in a recent interview, “It’s not authorized by me in any way.”

Still, the market for dramas ripped from the headlines is always a sure-fire draw for the true-crime curious, and Banks and Noble’s take on Karen Read’s story will reportedly hit Prime Video in 2027.