FilmRise and Alamo Drafthouse are teaming up to commemorate the 35th anniversary of “Unsolved Mysteries” through a one-time only TV special, TheWrap can reveal exclusively.
“Unsolved Mysteries: Behind the Legacy,” which will celebrate the long-running true crime television series through fan-favorite moments and never-before-seen outtakes, premieres Oct. 4 at Alamo Drafthouse locations nationwide. C0producers FilmRise and Cosgrove/Meurer Productions will also host a special screening event at Alamo Drafthouse’s Los Angeles venue on the same day.
In the special, cocreators Terry Dunn Meurer and John Cosgrove join actors, producers and directors involved in the series’ multi-season run as the cast and crew lift the curtain on the making of the show, from audience involvement on tips, research, casting and solving mysteries.
In an exclusive trailer for the special shared with TheWrap, cast and crew look back at the series’ unprecedented format and its exceptional audience response across its exploration of 1,300 cases, even recalling a young Matthew McConaughey referring to “Unsolved Mysteries” as his “first big break.”
“In addition to celebrating the 35th anniversary by coproducing this new video tribute, we wanted to honor the fans who have played such an integral role in the success of the series both as fiercely dedicated viewers and as case solvers with their call-in tips,” FilmRise marketing and distribution VP Sal Scamardo said in a statement. “Like the series, Alamo Drafthouse attracts a highly engaged and dedicated audience which makes them the perfect partner to kick off this celebration by screening our special in their unique venues across the country.”
Tickets for the Oct. 4 screening event are available for purchase here, and will be available to stream for free nationwide on AVOD in the U.S. on Oct. 5, the series anniversary date. Fans attending the Alamo Drafthouse screenings will experience a 90-minute presentation featuring the 60-minute TV special alongside a half-hour compilation of fan-favorite moments, while the streaming program will only feature the 60-minute special.
“I’m one of the many, many millennials whose Wednesday evenings were spent absorbed in ‘Unsolved Mysteries,’ and who, in the present day, have been able to binge these classic episodes thanks to FilmRise,” Alamo Drafthouse senior film programmer John Smith said. “That’s why the opportunity to screen the anniversary special with fellow Stack-olytes at Alamo Drafthouse is truly exciting.”
“Unsolved Mysteries” first premiered on NBC in 1987, where it aired for nine seasons before moving to CBS for two additional seasons.
