‘X-Men’ Reboot Star Kit Connor and Diana Silvers Set to Star in Janicza Bravo’s Take on the Infamous ‘Preppy Murder’ Case

True crime has become one of Hollywood’s most reliably compelling wells to draw from, but few cases from the 1980s left as lasting a cultural mark as the one that unfolded in New York’s Central Park nearly four decades ago. The story of Jennifer Levin’s death and the media firestorm that followed has been revisited in television movies and crime procedurals over the years, but it’s never quite received the kind of prestige feature treatment now heading into development.

That treatment is coming from filmmaker Janicza Bravo, known for her distinct blend of discomfort and absurdist comedy in films like ‘Zola’ and ‘Lemon,’ along with her work on the BBC One series ‘The Listeners.’ Bravo’s involvement signals a decidedly unconventional creative approach to material that’s typically been handled with straightforward true-crime seriousness in past adaptations.

According to an exclusive report from Deadline, Kit Connor has signed on to star opposite Diana Silvers in the project, titled ‘PRƎPPY,’ with Bravo directing for STX Entertainment and Aggregate Films. Based on an original screenplay by David Levine and Rose Lichter-Marck, the film explores the summer of 1986 leading up to the murder of recent high school graduate Jennifer Levin at the hands of Robert Chambers, a former Manhattan private-school student.

The case, which unfolded in Central Park and became infamous under the “Preppy Killer” nickname given to Chambers by the press, captivated the country at the time and put issues of privilege, class, and sex on very public trial. According to additional reporting on the project, the story follows two young women who unknowingly fall for the same charming, dangerous man during a sweltering New York summer, with one of them ultimately found murdered, igniting a media firestorm over victim’s rights and sensationalized coverage.

Connor’s casting arrives fresh off major news for the actor, having recently been confirmed as Cyclops in Marvel’s upcoming live-action X-Men reboot. That high-profile superhero casting has positioned Connor as one of the industry’s most closely watched rising talents, making his pivot to this kind of dark, character-driven true crime drama a notable creative departure.

Silvers, known for her role in ‘Booksmart,’ rounds out the film’s central pairing, joining a project that’s already generating significant industry buzz given both its subject matter and its behind-the-camera talent. Jason Bateman, Michael Costigan, and John Buderwitz are producing for Aggregate Films, while Peter Coleman and Paula Manzanedo produce for STX, with Bravo also serving as a producer on the project.

The film isn’t the first time this particular case has made its way to screen. A 1989 television movie titled ‘The Preppie Murder’ previously dramatized the events, starring William Baldwin as Chambers and Lara Flynn Boyle as Levin, and the case has also inspired episodes of both the original ‘Law & Order’ and ‘Law & Order: Criminal Intent’ over the years.

With production reportedly set to begin as early as next month according to prior reporting on the project, ‘PRƎPPY’ appears to be moving quickly from development into production. Given Bravo’s track record of bringing an unconventional lens to difficult subject matter, the film stands to offer a genuinely distinct take on a case that’s remained culturally embedded in American true crime lore for nearly four decades.

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