EXCLUSIVE: Lifetime has three new ripped-from-the-headline movies premiering in January, including the new Kate Beckinsale and Scott Eastwood film Stolen Girl, Accused: The Karen Read Story, and I Am Mary Jo Buttafuoco.

More information on each title can be found below, with exclusive first-look images.

L to R: Scott Eastwood and Kate Beckinsale

Lifetime

Stolen Girl

 Premieres January 3 – 8p/7c

Based on real-life events, Stolen Girl follows the journey of Maureen Danning (Beckinsale), whose life is shattered when her ex-husband, Karim, abducts their young daughter, Amina, and flees to the Middle East. Determined to get her child back, Maureen partners with Robeson (Eastwood), an ex-marine and child abduction specialist who promises to find Amina.

Together, they embark on a dangerous mission in Beirut that leads them into the murky underworld of international espionage. With time running out and Maureen facing the most difficult decision of her life, they must navigate through a maze of betrayal, corruption, and hidden agendas to rescue the stolen girl and bring her home.

The film is directed by James Kent (Testament of Youth) and written by Kas Graham and Rebecca Pollock. Executive producers include Brian Erickson, Josh Goldsteun, Kas Graham, Eric Laufer, Danielle Maloni, David Polemeni, Rebecca Pollock, Giovanna Randall, Richard Salvatore and David Tickle.

Katie Cassidy as Karen Read

Lifetime

Accused: The Karen Read Story

Premieres January 10 – 8p/7c

When Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe (Luke Humphrey) is found dead in a snowbank outside a friend’s home, his girlfriend Karen Read (Katie Cassidy) is ​charged in connection with his death. What begins as a shocking tragedy quickly ignites a firestorm that captures national attention. Based on a true story, Accused: The Karen Read Story is an unrelenting pursuit of justice to clear Karen’s name as the trials fracture the tight-knit Massachusetts town of Canton. Karen’s story is one of resilience, integrity, and the growing movement of supporters rallying behind her. 

Read’s case is the most recent of the three being dramatized in January’s list of films from Lifetime. In April, Read was found not guilty of second-degree murder in the death of her boyfriend, manslaughter, and leaving the scene of the accident. This was her second trial, following a first that ended in a hung jury. For driving under the influence, she received one year probation.

To date, no one else has been charged in O’Keefe’s 2022 death.

With no official trial date set, the O’Keefe family will have their day in court in connection with the wrongful death suit they filed against Read. Additionally, Read filed her own lawsuit against the Massachusetts State Police and multiple other individuals last month for civil rights violations, gross misconduct, and conspiring to frame her for O’Keefe’s death, among other allegations. A trial date is also TBD.

Accused: The Karen Read Story is produced by A New England Road and Front Street Pictures for Lifetime. Allen White, Rama Diallo, Helen Verno, and Judith Verno serve as executive producers. Gregory Small and Richard Blaney wrote the script, and it is directed by Linda-Lisa Hayter. 

Chloe Lanier as Mary Jo Buttafuoco

Lifetime


I AM MARY JO BUTTAFUOCO 

Premieres January 17 – 8p/7c

Buttafuoco is telling her story in her own words as the narrator and executive producer of this Lifetime movie.

In May 1992, outside her Long Island home, Mary Jo (Chloe Lanier) was shot in the head by 17-year-old Amy Fisher  (Maddy Hillis) — the mistress of her husband, Joey Buttafuoco (Dillon Casey). As tabloids sensationalized the scandal and dubbed Fisher the “Long Island Lolita,” Mary Jo lay in the hospital fighting for her life.

This installment of Lifetime’s I Am franchise reveals why the Buttafuocos remained married for seven years after the shooting, the lasting physical and emotional impact of the bullet that remains lodged in her head, and how she has found resilience and peace amid unimaginable trauma.

“It’s been 33 years since I was thrust into the true crime spotlight after surviving a near-fatal gunshot wound to the head at the hands of my husband’s teenage lover. In the years that followed, I endured extreme public scrutiny, relentless media coverage, and was often mocked and misunderstood in the public eye. What many didn’t see was the private toll it took—battling depression, suicidal thoughts, and addiction as I tried to make sense of a life that had been so violently and publicly shattered,” Mary Jo Buttafuoco shared.

She added, “Today, I stand not as a victim, but as a survivor who has turned unimaginable pain into purpose. Through my book and my work as a motivational speaker, I’ve been able to share my truth and help others find strength in their own struggles. I am deeply honored to see my life story told from my perspective in this new Lifetime movie. This is not just a true crime headline—it’s my journey of resilience, healing, and reclaiming my voice.”

I Am Mary Jo Buttafuoco is produced by Bruce Harvey for CMW Valley Productions Inc. in association with Studio TF1 America. Sheri Singer, Timothy O. Johnson, Melody diDonato and Mary Jo Buttafuoco serve as executive producers. Heather Hawthorn Doyle directs from a script by Gregg McBride.