Linear channel and streaming service MGM+ has greenlighted American Hostage (working title), a thriller anthology series co-created and executive produced by Shawn Ryan (The Night Agent, S.W.A.T.) and Eileen Myers (Big Love, Mad Dogs), from Sony Pictures Television. Emmy winner Jon Hamm will star in the eight-episode first installment based on the first season of the scripted podcast of the same name, reprising the role he voiced on the podcast. .
Set in the 1970s, the psychological thriller tells the harrowing true story of Fred Heckman (Hamm), a beloved Indianapolis radio reporter who is thrust into the middle of a life-or-death crisis when hostage-taker Tony Kiritsis demands to be interviewed on his popular radio news program.
In addition to starring, Hamm executive produces alongside Ryan, Myers, Connie Tavel, Sharon Hoffman and Ryan’s MiddKid Productions partner, Marney Hochman. Shawn Christensen and Gabriel Mason of Criminal Content, the company behind the American Hostage podcast, also serve as executive producers. Filming is slated to start in Winnipeg, Canada this fall.
The series is envisioned as an anthology focusing on a different hostage case each season.
American Hostage was developed by Ryan under his overall deal at Sony TV which acquired the rights to the podcast after its 2022 release. By late 2023, the team had been assembled with Hamm on board to star and executive produce. The project was taken out in 2024 and landed at MGM+ where it had been in development since fall 2024.
At the end of October 2024, Ryan left his longtime studio home Sony TV for an exclusive overall deal at Netflix. Since American Hostage is pre-existing, he remains on board and will serve as co-showrunner on the first seaosn alongside Myers. The two previously worked together as writers-executive producers on the Prime Video/Sony TV series Mad Dogs.
This marks the fourth series greenlight in six months for MGM+, which has been beefing up its slate — and its presence — within the Amazon MGM Studios ecosystem. That is more scripted orders over the time span than a number of larger networks and streamers. American Hostage MGM+’s recently greenlighted Robin Hood reimagening, which is now filming, comedy American Classic starring Kevin Kline, Laura Linney and Jon Tenney, and 1980s crime drama The Westies from The Godfather of Harlem creator Chris Brancato. All echo classic movie genres in line with MGM+’s cinematic focus to complement the MGM film library that the platform carries alongside Paramount features under the studio’s output deal.
“The combination of prolific producers Shawn Ryan and Eileen Myers, a singular talent like Jon Hamm, and our partners at Sony Pictures Television, is a match made in MGM+ heaven,” said Michael Wright, head of MGM+. “This is a fascinating story about real people engaged in a real-time life-or-death struggle to keep a desperate hostage situation from spinning out of control, and I can’t think of a more gifted actor on whom to center the story than Jon.”
American Hostage will be distributed internationally by Sony Pictures Television.
“We couldn’t be more grateful to be making this show with our valued partners – MGM+, Shawn Ryan, Eileen Myers and Jon Hamm,” said Katherine Pope, President, Sony Pictures Television Studios. “An exploration of quiet heroism, American Hostage shines a light on our culture, revealing truths that still strongly resonate.”
Hamm, Emmy winner for his portrayal of Don Draper on AMC’s Mad Men, headlines and executive produces Apple TV+’s series Your Friends and Neighbors, which has been renewed for a second season, and Fox’s animated series Grimsburg. He recently starred in Paramount+’s Landman, the fifth season of FX’s Fargo, for which he received an Emmy nomination, and also appeared in Apple TV+’s The Morning Show, earning an Emmy nomination, and Prime Video’s Good Omens. His film credits include Mean Girls and Top Gun Maverick. Hamm is repped by CAA, Forward Entertainment and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern. Ryan is repped by CAA, the Shuman Co. and Gendler & Kelly. Myers is repped by UTA, 3 Arts, and Jackoway.
