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‘Hunger Games’ Star Cast as Karen Read in True Crime Series

The ‘Pitch Perfect’ actress will play the woman at the center of the high-profile murder trial.

The splintering true crime case of Karen Read will be getting a new limited series, casting Elizabeth Banks to play the polarizing figure, sources told Deadline. The work, which is currently being developed by Prime Video and Warner Bros, follows the high-profile murder case of Boston police officer John O’Keefe, where Read was the main suspect before details emerged possibly pointing to an alleged cover up involving law enforcement. The show’s logline states the series will observe “society’s obsession with true crime, the allure of conspiracy, and the deepening crisis of trust in our institutions” and is based on the Law & Crime and Wondery podcast Karen. Justin Noble will serve as the showrunner and executive producer, and will also pen the series. Other executive producers include David E. Kelley and Banks. This is not the first time the story of Read is being told—multiple news specials have covered the case as well as a Netflix documentary. According to insider sources, the series has been in the works for some time, even before the trial officially ended on June 18, where a jury found Read guilty of Operating Under the Influence (OUI) but not guilty of second-degree murder and manslaughter.