A JonBenét Ramsey limited series is in the works at Paramount+ with Melissa McCarthy and Clive Owen set to star. The actors will play JonBenét’s parents, Patsy and John Bennett Ramsey, the network announced on Thursday, September 5. Joining them in the cast are Perry Mason‘s Shea Whigham and Yellowstone‘s Will Patton.
The series is currently titled JonBenét Ramsey and was previously announced as in development in March 2024. It did not have a network attached at the time, but Paramount+ has since picked it up. The series is centered on the young girl’s parents. Here’s all there is to know so bar about the true crime drama.
What is the JonBenét Ramsey series about?
The 6-year-old Ramsey was reported missing from her home in 1996 and was later found dead in the house on Christmas of that year. Her death was ruled a homicide, but who killed her and why remains a mystery to this day. The child’s murder is one of the most notorious unsolved murders in modern American history. The 30th anniversary of the case is approaching in December 2026.
The Paramount+ limited series “explores the tragic unsolved murder of six-year-old beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey” and will follow “the Ramsey family, before and after the tragedy as they go through the painful loss of a child while facing intense public scrutiny caused by a media frenzy that caused this case to captivate an entire nation,” according to the official series description. “At the heart of the series, it is the story of Patsy and John Ramsey — exploring the unbreakable partnership of these two complex people — as husband and wife, as mother and father — who had committed themselves and their children to building the narrative of a perfect, privileged life only to have it destroyed one Christmas night in 1996.”
The show will consist of eight episodes. Production will begin in Calgary, Canada, though the network did not specify when.
Who is in the JonBenét Ramsey series cast?
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McCarthy and Owen will play the young girl’s parents. Additional casting will be made at a later time.
Whigham plays District Attorney Alex Hunter, an acquaintance of the Ramsey family, per Deadline. Patton plays Lou Smith, described as “a legend among law enforcement, who has worked over 150 homicide cases in Boulder Springs.”
Most recently, Whigham played Pete Strickland, a private investigator, in HBO’s Perry Mason, and has a recurring role as Jasper Briggs in the Mission Impossible franchise. He also appeared in 2023’s Lawmen: Bass Reeves. Patton played Jamie Dutton’s (Wes Bentley) biological father, Garrett Randall, in Yellowstone. He’s also in Kevin Costner‘s Horizon cast and stars in Outer Range on Prime Video and Silo on Apple TV+.
“Melissa McCarthy and Clive Owen are an extraordinary duo to delve into this tragic story that has cast a long, haunting shadow over American culture for nearly three decades,” Chris McCarthy, Paramount Global Co-CEO and President/CEO of Showtime & MTV Entertainment Studios, said in a statement on Thursday, September 5.
“JonBenét Ramsey continues to be one of the country’s most fascinating unsolved murders,” said Jeff Grossman, Executive Vice President, Programming, Paramount+. “The incredible talent of Melissa McCarthy, Clive Owen and the creative team led by Richard LaGravenese will illuminate her story with the acuity and nuance it deserves.”
“We have been working to bring this thought provoking and bold project to audiences for some time now and could not be happier with the top notch team working in front of and behind the camera,” said David Glasser, CEO of 101 Studios.
JonBenét Ramsey is written by Richard LaGravense, Harrison Query, and Tommy Wallach, with Oscar-nominee LaGravense (Behind the Candelabra) serving as showrunner. Four of the eight episodes, including the first episode, will be directed by Anne Sewitsky (Presumed Innocent), who will also serve as executive producer.
What does the JonBenét Ramsey series premiere?
There is no release date for the limited series just yet, but given the anniversary noted in the show’s announcement, it seems likely that it will come out in 2026.
Is there a trailer for the JonBenét Ramsey series?
There are no trailers or photos from the series yet as it has not begun filming, but stay tuned here as we continue to report the latest developments.
JonBenét Ramsey, Limited Series Premiere, TBA, Paramount+
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