Elizabeth Banks is gearing up to play Karen Read in a new limited series for Amazon Prime

According to reports, Amazon Prime has greenlit a brand-new limited series based on the case of Karen Read, with The Better Sister actor Elizabeth Banks cast as the woman at the center of the case. It hasn't been more than a few months since Karen Read was acquitted of manslaughter charges, but her case has already been taken up for a limited series.

Here's everything we know about the upcoming Prime Video limited series starring Elizabeth Banks as Karen Read.

Elizabeth Banks cast as Karen Read for Amazon Prime's new limited series

Elizabeth Banks, who was recently seen in Prime Video's critically acclaimed series, The Better Sister, is set to continue her relationship with the streamer with a brand-new limited series.

The limited series is untitled as of now, but it is based on a very popular case. Karen Read's case was a household topic until just a few months ago, when she was on trial for three charges, one of which was second-degree murder. Karen Read was charged with the murder of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe, who died on January 29, 2022.

Her trials, the first one of which was declared a mistrial, lasted for more than three years until a jury declared in June 2025 that she was acquitted of the charges of murder and manslaughter under the influence.

Her case became a household name, where some believe she is guilty, whereas others believe she was the victim of a cover-up by law enforcement and the state. All in all, the case is extremely captivating, and with Elizabeth Banks playing Read, it will get the proper Hollywood dramatization treatment. Something it is quite familiar with, considering the attention it received and the Netflix documentary, all of which were created before the case came to a verdict.

The Amazon Prime limited series is set to be based on the Law & Crime and Wondery podcast, Karen. The podcast recounts the case from the snow-covered roads, where O'Keefe was found, to the acquittal of the charges against Karen Read.

The Amazon Prime series will explore different aspects of this case, from the sleuthing in true crime cases to the crisis of faith in public institutions and the deep-seated allure of conspiracy theories.

Justin Noble, who last worked on The Sex Lives of College Girls, will be serving as showrunner, writer, and executive producer for the Karen Read story. He will be joined by David E. Kelley, the courtroom drama expert, as an executive producer. They will be joined by Jen Sargent, Aaron Hart, Marshall Lewy, and Jeni Mulein for Woodery and Dan Abrams and Rachel Stockman for Law & Crime from the podcast Karen as producers for the series.

Elizabeth Banks will be executive producing through her production house Brownstone, along with Max Handelman and Krissy Wall. Matt Kelley and Matt Tinker will also be joining as producers for David E. Kelley Productions.

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