Fox Brings Back ‘America’s Most Wanted’ with Elizabeth Vargas

America's Most Wanted
Elizabeth Vargas hosts ‘America’s Most Wanted’ (Photo Credit: Fox)

America’s Most Wanted is returning to primetime with Elizabeth Vargas (20/20) as host. Fox confirmed the series will premiere in March and has the support of the original host, John Walsh.

“Capturing dangerous fugitives, bringing justice to victims and finding missing children is my lifetime’s work,” said John Walsh. “I am so excited to hear America’s Most Wanted is coming back and I support its return. God bless.”

America’s Most Wanted empowered viewers to help America successfully capture some of its most dangerous fugitives,” stated Rob Wade, President, Alternative Entertainment & Specials, FOX Entertainment. “By bringing back this groundbreaking series with new and effective tech-based crime-fighting tools and acclaimed journalist Elizabeth Vargas, we hope to continue John Walsh’s long-standing mission to be a powerful voice for crime victims everywhere.”

The original series debuted in 1988 and ran for 25 seasons. Over that span, it was credited with helping to capture more than 1,186 criminals and with reuniting 43 missing children with their families.

John Ferracane is the showrunner and executive producer, with Jim Clemente, Tim Clemente, and James Bruce of XG Productions and Glenn Geller also executive producing. The series is a FOX Alternative Entertainment production.

Fox released the following description of the 2021 revival:

America’s Most Wanted will investigate some of the country’s most dangerous fugitives. Each week, Vargas will ask for viewers’ help as she breaks down cases from the show’s new headquarters, consulting with a team of experts representing law enforcement units such as the FBI, U.S. Marshall’s Office and Secret Service.

Returning at a time when social media and technology loom large in the public consciousness, America’s Most Wanted will offer a unique and urgent opportunity for viewers to be armchair detectives by helping law enforcement solve some of the toughest cases.

Deploying a myriad of advanced, modern-day developments in technology over the last several years, the series builds on its original format, in which crimes are reenacted, by utilizing new state-of-the-art crime-fighting technology, such as augmented reality and 3-D life-size avatars that will illustrate what suspects might look like now, pinpoint map-tracking that will take the audience hot-on-the-trail of suspects, and social media that connect viewers to the America’s Most Wanted team at lighting-fast speed. Viewers at home can attempt to aid in the pursuit of justice by using social media to try and help law enforcement track down culprits and keep America’s neighborhoods safe.