The murder of JonBenét Ramsey, who died on Christmas Day, December 25, 1996, remains unsolved, and a chilling limited series titled “The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey” has been picked up by Netflix, Deadline reports.
The series stars Melissa McCarthy and Clive Owen, who play the roles of JonBenét’s parents Patsy and John Bennett Ramsey, and will be released “as a global original this winter, likely tied to the 30th anniversary of the six-year-old beauty queen’s killing,” the publication states.
Netflix Acquires New True Crime Series
The story will be “told through multiple perspectives, including the Ramsey family, investigators, and the media,” sources said, Deadline reports. Netflix’s acquisition of the series was announced on Wednesday, July 1, and comes after Paramount+ decided “not to proceed with it late last year,” Deadline reports. The show was “formally picked up” by Paramount+ in September 2024, and production began. The publication reveals that the network later decided not to go ahead with it.
GettyDeadline announced the news in an Instagram post, giving fans the opportunity to react. The comment section was filled with comments about the tragic case and the casting. “This is gonna be amazing. Melissa McCarthy is so talented and I think she is going to hit this out of the park. Such a heartbreaking story and roll to take on,” a comment reads.
“She’s a great actress. Just discovered she’d been in Gilmore Girls… genius in her role,” another person wrote of McCarthy’s casting. Other reactions include, “Clive Owen is amazing in everything. Looking forward to seeing this,” “This is such a tragic story,” and “Aren’t there like 500 documentaries on this? And we still don’t have an answer.”
It is true that JonBenét’s case has been covered extensively, and remains cold. This includes Netflix’s airing of the documentary series “Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey?” in 2024.
Who Will Star in ‘The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey’
GettyNetflix announced the news on its Tudum platform and shared more about the storyline. “The series focuses on one of the most infamous unsolved murder cases in American history, and the devastating personal and public reckoning that followed JonBenét Ramsey’s death,” the official Netflix website states. “Ramsey was murdered in the basement of the family’s home in Boulder, Colorado. After a national media frenzy, nearly 30 years — and more than 21,016 tips, letters, and emails later — the killer has not been found.” JonBenét was just six at the time of her death.
In addition to McCarthy and Owen, other cast members include Emily Mitchell as JonBenét Ramsey, Garrett Hedlund as Detective Steve Thomas, Alison Pill as Detective Linda Arndt, Shea Whigham as Alex Hunter, Angus Caldwell as Burke Ramsey, and Owen Teague as Shane Edwards.
An exact release date for the series has yet to be announced. Other important details about the series include that it is co-written by Harrison Query and Tommy Wallach, and directed by Anne Sewitsky. Richard LaGravenese has been named as the showrunner and executive producer. Fans may be familiar with his work on “Behind the Candelabra,” “Freedom Writers,” and “A Family Affair.”
