Paramount+ dropped news of a limited series with an ensemble cast about the heartbreaking JonBenét Ramsey case. Melissa McCarthy and Clive Owen will play Patsy and John Bennett Ramsey, the parents of the six-year-old beauty queen whose murder back in 1996 still remains unsolved. The series titled JonBenét Ramsey also marks McCarthy's return to television.
In a statement to the press, Chris McCarthy, the Co-CEO of Paramount Global and the head of Showtime & MTV Entertainment Studios, said:
"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."
The series is scheduled to release in time for the upcoming 30th year of JonBenét's murder. Jeff Grossman, the EVP of Programming at Paramount+, said this series aims to point out the complexities of this well-known case.
With its promising cast and crew, it shapes up as a must-watch for true crime fans. The crew notably includes showrunner Richard LaGravenese, who has written, directed, and executive produced it.
The JonBenét Ramsey case is a haunting American tragedy
The shocking killing of JonBenét Ramsey has kept people talking since the year 1996. The six-year-old girl was found brutally injured and strangled in her family's basement in Boulder, Colorado, just hours after she had been reported missing.
The series will see the pressure the Ramsey family was under, like Patsy and John, who were suspects from the beginning. While DNA testing in 2008 would eventually clear them, there was still much chatter about it. According to Stan Garnett, District Attorney of Boulder, back in 2016, the use of "exonerated" on the Ramseys proved to be a little misleading.
Based on DNA evidence, in 2008, then-District Attorney Mary Lacey sent a letter to John Ramsey that stated:
"We do not consider your immediate family including you, your wife, Patsy, and your son Burke to be under any suspicion in the commission of this crime."
Garnett said that in his view, evidence was inadequate to eliminate anyone. This case has been the topic of documentaries and shows about true crime. But this series is amongst the first ones that have dwelled on the personal crises of the family members.
Behind the scenes of the JonBenét Ramsey limited series
Richard LaGravenese of Behind the Candelabra and The Fisher King has been attached as a showrunner, executive producer, and writer for the series.
Harrison Query and Tommy Wallach, who launched the project and sold it to MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios, are executive producers. Plus, Anne Sewitsky who will direct the first four of the eight episodes, has joined as an executive producer.
David Glasser of 101 Studios told Deadline:
"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."
The JonBenét Ramsey limited series is coming soon to Paramount+. Filming is about to start in Calgary, Canada, but there is no release date yet.
