We already know what Regina King is capable of when she steps in front of the camera, thanks to her brilliant performance in American Crime. But now, the Emmy Award winner is getting the opportunity to boast her skills behind the scenes in an upcoming drama series. King is reportedly set to produce No Place Safe, a show about the Atlanta child murders that rocked the south in the 70s and 80s. The actress will also double as the lead in the small screen project, which is based off of Kim Reid’s 2007 memoir.
To bring the story to life, King is teaming up with American Crime producer and creator John Ridley and Empire writer Wendy Calhoun, Deadline reports. Similar to the original memoir, the thriller will depict the coming-of-age story set in 1979 Atlanta through the eyes of a then-13-year-old Reid. The story follows Reid’s mother, who was the lead investigator in the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office at the time, as she searches for the serial killer responsible for the deaths of 29 young black boys.
While the FX series will focus on the manhunt for the killer, the historic investigation reportedly came to a close when Atlanta native, Wayne Williams, was convicted and sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for the murder of two adults in 1982. Following his sentencing, Fulton police connected Williams to the child murder cases.
No Safe Place reportedly stems from a deal King inked with ABC Studios in Jan. 2017. Ridley is also under contract with ABC. Other details regarding additional casting and a production timeline have not been revealed at this time. Stay tuned for more announcements about King’s latest project.