Hearts of Darkness follows Monroe, who steps out of the shadows to tell the story of her astonishing life shaping law enforcement and intelligence analysis. Monroe explores the cases that stuck with her, dissecting victimology, providing new insight into the minds of serial killers, and discussing the psychological toll of the job and the obstacles she faced as a woman in the male-dominated Bureau.
“I’m excited to be working with UTV, Susanna, and Julia as they bring to life the stories I’ve lived,” says Monroe. “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 and Rain Productions packaged the project and represented the rights sale. USG’s Creative Acquisitions and IP Management team, led by Jordan Moblo, was instrumental in securing the rights to the novel.
“Jana Monroe kicks butt and takes names, all while defying expectations of what an FBI agent should be,” says Vivian Cannon, EVP of Drama Development at UTV. “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 was the inspiration behind Jodie Foster’s Oscar-winning role as Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs. Throughout her career, she has consulted on more than 850 homicide cases, including serial killers Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Ed Kemper and was the first and, at the time, only female agent in the FBI’s Behavioral Sciences Unit at Quantico. She later became the first assistant director of the FBI’s Cyber Division.
“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, said Rain Productions’ Mike Vanderhei. “We are thrilled to have such an incredible team to build out this series.”
