“Get Out” writer-director Jordan Peele is set to revisit one of the most sensational trials in U.S. history. His Monkeypaw shingle has a Lorena Bobbitt docuseries in development at Amazon, The Hollywood Reporter confirms. Bobbitt made international headlines after cutting off her husband’s penis with a kitchen knife in 1993.
Set to tackle the incident “and ensuing media frenzy that made the Virginia woman famous,” the four-part project, titled “Lorena,” has Bobbitt’s full participation.
“When we hear the name ‘Bobbitt,’ we think of one of the most sensational incidents to ever be catapulted into a full-blown media spectacle,” Peele said in a statement. “With this project, Lorena has a platform to tell her truth as well as engage in a critical conversation about gender dynamics, abuse, and her demand for justice. This is Lorena’s story, and we’re honored to help her tell it.”
Based on the recent Oscar winner’s comments, it’s clear that the docuseries won’t gloss over the fact that Bobbitt’s crime was a reaction to alleged domestic abuse. In 2008 she founded a nonprofit dedicated to supporting victims of domestic abuse.
“Lorena” is described as “a fresh perspective on the event and its role in creating the 24-hour news cycle — preceding the O.J. Simpson trial by just a year.”
Peele is among the project’s executive producers. Joshua Rofé (“Lost for Life”) is directing.
“Jordan has proven himself as a captivating voice of social critique, and we are excited to work with him on this project,” said Amazon originals head of unscripted Heather Schuster. “‘Lorena’ reframes Lorena Bobbitt’s story around issues of sexism and domestic abuse and offers Prime members an exclusive new view into how America got her story wrong and maybe continues to get it wrong.”
No word on when to expect “Lorena.”