Factor X, which takes its name from what he described in taunting letters to the police as his motive for murder, tells how a young, black counterterrorism expert from Washington teamed up with a Wichita police detective, who spent his career trying to chase down the killer.

The script will be written by Gregory Allen Howard, who made a name for himself writing real-life inspirational sports dramas such as “Remember the Titans” and “Ali.” Howard came across counterterrorism expert Stanley Campbell at a dinner party thrown by his cousin, a federal judge.

After Howard learned of Campbell’s story, and how he invented a data reduction process to rule out suspects, he doggedly pursued the man for a year trying to get his life rights. Campbell eventually caved, partly because of Howard’s promise to not make an exploitative movie.

Howard then got Bana on board, followed by actor Terrence Howard. Scott soon followed.