Fox Confirms That An 'America's Most Wanted' Reboot Is In The Works
"America's Most Wanted" was one of the most successful shows in television history, and now Fox is working to bring it back. Fox Alternative president Rob Wade told Deadline that the network is currently working to create a pilot episode of the reboot, although they do not yet have a host in mind to replace John Walsh.
"It's a great format, very Fox format," Wade said. "It is 'America's Most Wanted' but with the help of our producer and Interpol we are now able to work outside of the U.S. because a lot of the fugitives these days travel; you need to be able to have a global reach to find fugitives."
Wade went on to explain why he thinks now is a good time to bring the show back.
"We have seen that sometimes, there is success in bringing back existing IP, it immediately gives you a massive leg-up in the marketing," Wade said. "That's what is attractive to us. Secondly, crime is something that is hugely consumed — certainly on cable and streaming — but has not been cracked in unscripted on network. Thirdly, I think it is a show that can create urgency and has a kind of a good heart at the end of the day. It is a crime show but it has positivity to it; you can try to find a fugitive and help."
The details of the original show's format, via Wikipedia:
The show featured reenactments of dangerous fugitives that are portrayed by actors, interspersed with on-camera interviews, with Walsh in a voiceover narration. Each episode also featured photographs of dangerous fugitives, as well a toll-free hotline number where viewers could give information at 1-800-CRIME-TV.
On May 2, 2008, the program's website announced its 1,000th capture. Many of the series' cases have some connection outside the United States or have not taken place in the United States at all. The series' first international capture was in Nova Scotia in 1989. With Walsh at the helm, America's Most Wanted began to broaden its scope. In addition to the regular segments narrated by Walsh, the show expanded its segments and correspondents.
When it went off the air in 2011, it was the longest running show in TV history with 25 years under its belt. That record was eventually broken by "The Simpsons."
