Netflix just announced a scripted show about the murder of JonBenét Ramsey that might sound familiar after the series was originally meant to premiere at Paramount.
In July 2026, Netflix announced the new limited series The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey would be released later that year.
“The series centers on one of the most infamous unsolved murder cases in American history, and the devastating personal and public reckoning that followed the death of JonBenet Ramsey on Christmas night in 1996,” read the official synopsis.
True crime fans, however, remember that the series was previously referred to as Unspeakable: The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey when it was set for a release at Paramount+. According to Deadline, David C. Glasser’s 101 Studios had been in turnaround with the show since its original platform opted not to proceed with it late last year.
The show was commissioned by Paramount and got greenlit in March 2024. After casting commenced, the series was officially picked up by Paramount+ in September 2024 as production kicked off.
Filming wrapped in January 2025 — months before Paramount Global was acquired by Skydance Global. As a result, new leadership reviewed The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey and there were concerns after a version of the show was screened.
Deadline reported that a defamation lawsuit previously filed against CBS by Ramsey’s brother, Burke, could have played a role. (The lawsuit was previously settled.)
Amid the evaluation, 101 Studios closed a deal in late October 2025 to move from Paramount to NBCUniversal at the start of 2026. The production company then took their limited series and started shopping it, which is how it was acquired by Netflix.
Unspeakable: The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey was previously teased to be centered around parents John and Patsy dealing with the loss of their child as an investigation questions their involvement in her death.
“At the heart of the series, it is the story of Patsy and John Ramsey,” read a September 2024 press release. “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.”
Patsy and John are set to be played by Melissa McCarthy and Clive Owen, respectively. The series also stars Garrett Hedlund, Alison Pill, Owen Teague, Shea Whigham and Will Patton. The role of Burke has yet to be announced.
