Variety reports that Paramount+ has greenlit the true crime series “Fear Knot,” starring Anne Hathaway.
The limited series is based on the Vanity Fair article “True Crime, True Faith: The Serial Killer and the Texas Mother Who Stopped Him.” Written by Julie Miller. Bash Dolan is writing the series. The official logline states:
“‘Fear Knot’ tells the story of the unlikely bond between prolific serial killer Stephen Morin — who has been accused of more crimes than Ted Bundy — and Margie Palm (Hathaway), the last woman he kidnaps. Palm’s abduction by Morin… What started as a deadly confinement took an unexpected turn, one that involved compassion, prayer, and deep courage. Palm’s commitment to her faith and her insistence that Morin could change kept the momentum of the relationship long after Palm was returned to safety.
Hathaway also serves as an executive producer on the series alongside Adam Shulman and Jonathan Rice under their Somewhere Pictures banner. Toluca Pictures’ Steve Stark and Stacey Levin will serve as executive producers, with Vanity Fair Studios’ Helen Eastbrook and Margt, Bart and Noel Palm also serving as executive producers. Produced by MGM Television.
This will be Paramount+’s latest major female-led series following a change in leadership following the Paramount and Skydance merger. Under the guidance of Paramount’s DTC chair Cindy Holland and Paramount+ head of originals Jane Wiseman, the streamer is moving toward more female-biased content, including a series order announced in October for the legal drama “Discretion,” starring Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning.
“At Paramount+, we are always looking for stories that captivate and entertain our viewers, and this series does just that,” Wiseman said. “By basing this horrifying true story on the protagonist’s real-life experiences, Anne brings a level of nuance and gravitas to the screen that only a performer of her caliber can. We’re thrilled to be working with Anne, Bash, and the rest of this illustrious team, and can’t wait for viewers to see what is sure to be a captivating limited series.”
This is also Dolan’s latest television project in recent months. She is a co-writer with Greg Berlanti on the Hulu drama pilot “Foster Dade.” The pilot is based on Nash Jenkins’ book Foster-Dade Explores the Cosmos, and is currently in contention to become a series. She and Berlanti are also producing a drama pilot, “How To Survious Without Me,” for HBO Max. Dolan’s other television appearances include “Boardwalk Empire” and “Masters of Sex.” She is also the creator of the British shows Traitors and Life After Life. She previously served as a consulting producer on Netflix’s “Beef” and wrote the screenplay for the Netflix film “Outlaw Kings.”
This will be one of Hathaway’s few starring television roles in her illustrious career. She began her on-screen work in the television series “Get Real” and most recently appeared in the Apple TV limited series “WeCrashed.” She is best known for films such as 2013’s “Les Misérables,” which won an Oscar and a Golden Globe. She was also nominated for both awards for the 2009 film “Rachel Gets Married.” Her other notable credits include “The Devil Wears Prada,” “Love & Other Drugs,” “The Dark Knight Rises,” and “Brokeback Mountain.” Her upcoming credits include the “The Devil Wears Prada” sequel and Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey.”
Dolan is repped by UTA, Untitled Entertainment and Schreck Rose. Hathaway is repped by CAA, Entertainment 360 and Sloane Offer. Toluca Pictures is repped by CAA and Myman Greenspan.
