Universal Television recently acquired the rights to former FBI profiler Jana Monroe's memoir Hearts of Darkness: Serial Killers, The Behavioral Science Unit, And My Life As a Woman In The FBI for a series adaptation, Deadline exclusively reported.
Filmmaker Susanna Fogel and Julia Ruchman will write and executive produce. Fogel will also serve as director. The author and Rain production will serve as executive producers.
The book follows Monroe, who tells the story of her life in law enforcement and intelligence analysis. She details the notable cases she's worked on, including victimology breakdown, insights into the thought processes of serial killers, discussions on the toll the job takes one's psyche as well as the obstacles she's had to face as a woman in the male-dominated Federal Bureau of Investigations.
Jana Monroe: the first female FBI profiler
“I'm excited to be working with UTV, Susanna, and Julia as they bring to life the stories I've lived. Embarking on this adventure with UTV is like watching my life stories unfold on the screen in an exhilarating fusion of reality and imagination!” Monroe said.
UTV's Executive VP of Drama Development Vivian Canon stated, “Jana Monroe kicks butt and takes names, all while defying expectations of what an FBI agent should be. Her life story is an incredible thrill ride packed with action, excitement, and rich, complicated characters whom we have never seen before on TV. Susanna and Julia are the ideal team to adapt Jana’s memoir and bring her unbelievable true story to life!”
Monroe inspired Jodie Foster's Academy Award-winning Clarice Starling in 1991's The Silence of the Lambs. She consulted on over 850 homicide cases, including cases with serial killers Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer and Ed Kemper. She was the first and only female agent (at that time) at Quantico's Behavioral Sciences Unit. Later on, she was named the first assistant director of the bureau's Cyber Division.
Mike Vanderhei of Rain Productions noted, “Susanna and Julia's passion for the material in concert with their comprehensive and compelling take on how to tell these stories made them the perfect choice for the project. We are thrilled to have such an incredible team to build out this series.”
Criminal Minds IRL
If the words “Behavioral Sciences Unit” is familiar to you, it's the former name of the department to which the cast of Criminal Minds belong. It was established in 1972, originally with 10 agents, as a response to the rising sexual assault and homicide cases in the 1970s.
In 1976, three members of the BSU began to compile information to create a centralized database on on serial offenders. The database was completed in 1979. FBI profilers used this when they consulted in various cases in the field.
In 1984, the BSU was split into two units: the BSU trained cadets for their division at the FBI National Academy. The other unit, Behavioral Science Investigative Support Unit (BSISU), went out into the field for investigation and consultation.
The next year, the BSU established the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC). It then incorporated and expanded the database of the BSU agents compiled in the previous years into the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (VICAP).
In 1997, the BSU is renamed the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU).
I expect that the Hearts of Darkness series adaptation will more closely follow Monroe's career trajectory. Since there's already a show about profilers, one thing this series might do to differentiate itself would be to focus more on a character based on the author. It might even delve in on her personal history as trailblazer in the FBI.
Follow Us
Subscribe