The story of James Keene, as was reported by the media several years ago, gained a certain level of notoriety. The young man, the son of a policeman, was offered the chance to not go to prison – he had been sentenced to ten years not long before the events of the book – if he could make suspected serial killer Larry Hall confess to his other murders. Risky? Absolutely, but it was Keene’s shot at a second chance. Not only would he get out of prison, but he would also become a very unlikely hero. Keene accepted and the rest is – history.
The memoirs adapted
In 2010, Keene published his side of the story in the form of a memoir, titled In With the Devil. An official synopsis of the book summarizes it as follows: “Jimmy Keene grew up outside of Chicago. Although he was the son of a policeman and rubbed shoulders with the city’s elite, he ended up on the wrong side of the law and was sentenced to ten years with no chance of parole. Just a few months into his sentence, Keene was approached by the prosecutor who put him behind bars. He had convicted a man named Larry Hall for abducting and killing a fifteen-year-old. Although Hall was suspected of killing nineteen other young women, there was a chance he could still be released on appeal. If Keene could get him to confess to two murders, there would be no doubt about Hall’s guilt. In return, Keene would get an unconditional release from prison. But he could also get killed. A story that gained national notoriety, this is Keene’s powerful tale of peril, violence, and redemption.”
In January 2021, it was reported that Apple TV+ is close to closing a deal for a six-episode series order that would adapt Keene’s memoirs. The project was described as an ambitious adaptation and it has been reported that Taron Egerton (Kingsman) would play the role of James Keene, while Hall would be played by Paul Walter Hauser (Richard Jewell, Cobra Kai). Not much is known besides these facts, but the report also states that Apple is planning to give the series quite a lucrative treatment, with Dennis Lehane scripting the six-hour adaptation and Michael R. Roskam (Racer and the Jailbird) set to direct and executive produce.
We can definitely say that we are looking forward to the show and that we are certain it will be a hit for Apple TV+.
