AMERICAN HOSTAGE

American Hostage Puts Jon Hamm in the Middle of a Deadly Standoff

A radio reporter becomes part of the story when a hostage-taker demands the entire world listen.

Jon Hamm stars in American Hostage, a psychological thriller inspired by the true story of Fred Heckman, an Indianapolis radio news reporter who found himself pulled into an extraordinary hostage crisis during the 1970s.

The eight-episode series begins when Tony Kiritsis takes a man hostage and makes an unusual demand: he wants to speak directly with Heckman on his popular radio program.

Suddenly, a journalist accustomed to reporting the news becomes a critical participant in a life-or-death situation.

With a hostage's safety hanging in the balance, Heckman must navigate conversations with an increasingly unpredictable man while knowing that what he says, and how he says it, could have very real consequences.

And the audience is listening.

Based on the acclaimed scripted podcast of the same name, American Hostage explores the psychological battle that unfolds when crime, journalism and public spectacle collide, turning a local radio reporter into an unexpected intermediary during a terrifying standoff.

Hamm also serves as an executive producer on the series, which was co-created by Shawn Ryan and Eileen Myers.

The story may have happened decades ago, but the situation presents a question that feels surprisingly modern:

What happens when a dangerous man realizes the media can give him an audience?

American Hostage premieres with two episodes September 20 on MGM+, followed by new episodes Sundays through November 1.  Also, stream on Prime Video with a MGM+ subscription.