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Amazon has officially greenlit a drama series about Karen Read with Elizabeth Banks set to star, Variety has learned.
The untitled, one-hour series was first reported to be in the works in 2025. It is inspired by the Law&Crime and Audible Original podcast “Karen.” Justin Noble will serve as writer, showrunner, and executive producer. Amazon has commissioned eight episodes.
The logline for the show states:
“When a Boston police officer is found dead in the snow during a blizzard, all eyes are on his girlfriend, Karen Read (Banks). But when she and her legal team claim she’s not only innocent, but that she’s the victim of a conspiracy protecting the real assailants, the story spreads like wildfire, dividing a community in ways they’ve never seen. As endless suspicion mounts, in multiple directions, this genre-bending true crime series explores society’s explosive obsession with true crime.”
Along with Noble, Banks will executive produce in addition to starring under Brownstone Productions banner. Max Handelman and Krissy Wall of Brownstone also executive producer. David E. Kelley and Matthew Tinker will executive produce via David E. Kelley Productions along with Aaron Hart, Marshall Lewy, Jeni Mulein and Jen Sargent of Audible and Rachel Stockman and Dan Abrams via Law&Crime. Warner Bros. Television is the studio.
“I grew up in Massachusetts, and like so many people there, we watched this case divide families, friends, and entire towns,” said Banks. “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. We are grateful to Prime Video, Warner Bros. Television, and our partners at David E. Kelley Productions, Wondery and Law&Crime for believing in it from the start.”
This is the second TV starring role announced for Banks in recent months. It was previously reported that she is set to lead a comedy series from Liz Heldens at Apple TV. She also recently starred in the Prime Video series “The Better Sister,” which aired on the streamer in 2025. Her other TV credits include “The Miniature Wife” at Peacock, “Mrs. America” for FX/Hulu, and both “30 Rock” and “Scrubs.” In film, Banks 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 repped by UTA, Untitled Entertainment and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.
“This case has more twists and turns than any story I’ve ever consumed, real or fictional,” said Noble. “It makes M. Night Shyamalan look like Nora Ephron. 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.”
Noble most recently co-created the HBO Max series “The Sex Lives of College Girls” with Mindy Kaling. He has also written for shows like “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “Never Have I Ever,” and “Idiotsitter.”
He is repped by WME.
“At its core, this series is about more than a single case — it’s about what happens when truth becomes a matter of perspective and an entire community is forced to confront its own deepest divisions,” said Peter Friedlander, head of global television for Amazon MGM Studios. “With Justin Noble’s sharp, nuanced storytelling, Elizabeth Banks’ captivating presence, and the powerhouse creative team behind this project, we believe this will be a defining series that sparks conversation around the world.”
Hart, who co-leads the film and TV division of Audible after holding the same position at Wondery, shepherded the project to the screen. Other Audible podcasts that have been adapted for television in recent years include “Dr. Death” at Peacock,” “WeCrashed” at Apple TV, and “Dying for Sex” at FX.
“The Karen Read case gripped the country because it tapped into questions about truth, loyalty, and who we choose to believe,” said Lewy, head of Audible Content, North America. “Karen, the Law & Crime podcast and an Audible Original, set the standard for telling this story and is exactly the kind of IP that translates powerfully to television. We’re thrilled to work with this incredibly talented team.”
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