Over eight years since its last episode, Fox is bringing back America's Most Wanted with former ABC news anchor Elizabeth Vargas as its host, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The series, which ran from 1988 to 2011 on the network before moving to Lifetime for a final season in 2012, featured reenactments of crimes, as well as interview portions, that highlighted a culprit who was still at large. Photographs of the fugitive were shown, and the show provided the number for their tip line with the hope that a viewer would help bring the perpetrators to justice.
Over a thousand criminals were brought to justice due to the program, including 17 on the FBI's Most Wanted List. The show caught its very first suspect, David James Roberts, a convicted murderer and rapist, just four days after its premiere. The high-profile kidnapping case of Elizabeth Smart was solved in 2003 after the kidnapper's stepchildren recognizing a photo on America's Most Wanted and calling into the show.
The new series will include technologies not previously available to the show, like augmented reality, in order to do accurate reenactments.
"America's Most Wanted empowered viewers to help America successfully capture some of its most dangerous fugitives," said Rob Wade, president alternative entertainment and specials at Fox in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. "By bringing back this groundbreaking series with new and effective tech-based crime-fighting tools and acclaimed journalist Elizabeth Vargas, we hope to continue [original host] John Walsh's long-standing mission to be a powerful voice for crime victims everywhere."
John Walsh, whose young son Adam was murdered in 1981, was the host of the original program. Following his time on America's Most Wanted, he anchored CNN's The Hunt With John Walsh, which ran from 2014 to 2017.
Though Walsh is not involved in the series, he said in a statement to THR about its return, "I am so excited to hear America's Most Wanted is coming back and I support its return. God bless."