The demand for stories about serial killers is showing no sign of slowing down. LMN, a television network that’s part of the Lifetime family, has acquired award-winning writer-director Megan Griffiths’ “The Night Stalker.” The title is a reference to famed Los Angeles-based murderer and serial rapist Richard Ramirez.
“The Night Stalker” looks at the legendary tale from a different angle and perspective. According to a press release, the film “tells the story of Kit (Bellamy Young, ‘Scandal’), an attorney who travels to San Quentin on an impossible mission to clear the name of Harrison Johnson (Hawthorne James, ‘Seven’), a death row inmate in Texas whom she believes has been wrongly accused of murders perpetrated by Ramirez (Lou Diamond Phillips, ‘The 33,’ ‘Courage Under Fire’).”
Given the subject matter, it’s unsurprising that the film tackles some pretty dark emotional territory: “Kit lived in Los Angeles during the fear-tinged summer where Ramirez terrified its citizens, and confronting him dredges up old and frightening memories of her own past. As the days count down to the Texas man’s execution, Kit confronts Ramirez about his unspeakable crimes in search of an elusive confession, plunging into intense psychological depths in her quest for the truth.”
Young has plenty of experience digging deep into the world of crime on-screen— prior to starring in “Scandal,” she appeared in a recurring role on “Criminal Minds.”
“The Night Stalker” will compete at the Seattle International Film Festival on June 4 and debut on LMN June 12.
