Paramount+ March Highlights--Happy Face, Heretic, Tom Petty Documentary, Dongjae: The Good Or The Bastard, & Mobland

In celebration of Women's History Month, our refreshed Women Who Move Mountains collection shines a light on the real and fictional women who inspire us. And speaking of strong leading ladies, don't miss the premiere of the highly anticipated original series

Happy Face, inspired by the true-life story of Melissa G. Moore (played by Annaleigh Ashford) who discovered that her once beloved father (Dennis Quaid) was the prolific serial killer known as Happy Face. Whether you're looking for your next true-crime obsession, powerful female-led stories, or blasts from the past - you can find it all streaming on Paramount+. 

For a closer look at all the entertainment coming in March, check out the latest edition of View from the Peak.

Top Highlights: 

ALONE - Season 8 Premiere (Saturday, March 7)

HERETIC - Movie (Sunday, March 8)

TOM PETTY: HEARTBREAKERS BEACH PARTY EXTENDED – Documentary (Tuesday, March 11) 

SIN CITY GIGOLO: A MURDER IN LAS VEGAS - Paramount+ Original (Tuesday, March 11)

BURDEN OF GUILT – P+ Original Series (Friday, March 14)

THE THUNDERMANS: UNDERCOVER - Series Premiere (Tuesday, March 18) 

HAPPY FACE - P+ Original Series Premiere (Thursday, March 20) 

MOBLAND - P+ Original Series Premiere (Sunday, March 30)

Dennis Quaid and Annaleigh Ashford in Happy Face

Paramount+ explores the rippling effects of crime and trauma with a new original series inspired by the true story of Melissa G. Moore, who at 15 years old discovered that her father was the serial killer known as Happy Face. 

The upcoming original Happy Face, filmed in Vancouver, tells the story of Melissa Reed and her incarcerated father Keith Jesperson, aka the Happy Face Killer. After decades of no contact, Keith forces his way back into his daughter's life, and Melissa must find out if an innocent man is going to be put to death for a crime her father committed. The new series features a star-studded cast, including Emmy-nominated and Tony Award-winning actress Annaleigh Ashford and Emmy Award and two-time Golden Globe-nominated actor Dennis Quaid. 

We connected with executive producer and showrunner Jennifer Cacicio on her approach to bringing the Happy Face killer to the screen and working alongside Moore, who also executive produced the series, to shine a new light on her story. 

Can you tell us about your experience working with Melissa G. Moore, who is an executive producer on this series and at the center of this story as the daughter of the Happy Face Killer? 

Working with Melissa was a dream. She was generous with her time, open with her stories, and even shared her father's letters with me. But most importantly, she put her complete trust in me. She said that she'd told her story in her own words many times, through the podcast, her memoir, and various interviews over the years. She gave me complete freedom to tell this story in a new way.

How much of the podcast informed the creative process? Were there specific portions of the story that were easier or more difficult to adapt? 

The podcast tells the story of Melissa's emotional journey. It's her coming to terms with who her father is and facing his victims for the first time. Her unique emotional journey is what made me want to tell this story, but the challenge was how to create an exciting plot that could serve as an engine to drive and underpin that emotional story without cheapening it in any way. That's how we came up with the idea of a ninth murder. 

Happy Face retells the stories of real-life crimes. How do you balance keeping the story engaging while dealing with such sensitive topics? 

From the very beginning it was really important to me that the show not depict any on-screen violence. I wanted this show to be about the emotional fallout of violent crime, the rippling effects of this type of trauma. We definitely hint at the violence, and we discuss it, but we don't dramatize or glorify it. I always did my best to stay rooted in Melissa's emotional story and let her character lead the way. Twists and turns and cliffhangers are great - and our show definitely has them! - but what keeps you coming back week after week are compelling characters. 

Despite not being part of or having knowledge of the crimes her father committed at the time, the guilt and responsibility still weigh heavily on Melissa (played by Annaleigh Ashford), which is partially why she feels reeled back in to find more information about the new victim. What do you think that says about the human experience of examining the relationships or lack thereof we have with our parents and their actions?

I was drawn to Melissa's story in the first place because I related to it. For most of my childhood, my father was incarcerated for drugs, and while the crimes our fathers committed were very different, the questions were the same: was my childhood what I thought it was? Did I really know my dad the way I thought I did? Am I destined to be like him or can I pave my own way? The question of nature vs. nurture will always fascinate me, and I think no matter your upbringing, most people can relate to seeing your parents' flaws and loving them anyway. This show just explores those themes on steroids, haha. 

Is there anything specific you'd like viewers to take away from this story and its various themes? 

We all love crime shows, but I hope viewers appreciate that we are trying to explore the crime drama through a different lens. And I guess if there's a takeaway, it might be that sometimes you have to lean deeper into the darkness of your life to step into your true light. 

Don’t miss the two-episode premiere of Happy Face on Paramount+ March 20, followed by one new episode weekly on Thursdays.

                        

STREAMING SOON

Tom Petty in a Limo Ride for Cameron Crowe’s Heartbreakers Beach Party.

At Paramount+, we 'won't back down' from bringing epic music programming to fans that give an inside-look at culture-defining artists and electrifying performances like never before. 

On March 11, cult classic '80s film, Tom Petty: Heartbreakers Beach Party from legendary director Cameron Crowe will make its return as a newly remastered version nearly 40 years after its MTV debut. The film features unprecedented access and a musically rich ride with America's greatest rock & roll band, and a rare, shining glimpse into Tom Petty's lasting creative genius.

                         

Saturday, March 1: 

JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL (MOVIE) 

Tuesday, March 4: 

BILLY MADISON (MOVIE) 

Wednesday, March 5: 

SURVIVOR Season 48 Premiere (SERIES) 

Thursday, March 6: 

THE TRUMAN SHOW (MOVIE) 

Friday, March 7: 

ALONE Season 8 (SERIES) *BINGE

ALONE is an American survival competition series following the self-documented daily struggles of 10 individuals who survive alone in the wilderness for as long as possible using a limited amount of survival equipment.

THE CONJURING (MOVIE) 

THE CONJURING 2 (MOVIE)

Saturday, March 8: 

HERETIC (MOVIE)

Two young missionaries become ensnared in a deadly game of cat and mouse when they knock on the door of the diabolical Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant). Trapped in his home, they must turn to their faith if they want to make it out alive.

 

IN BLOOM: EVERYBODY'S FIGHT (SERIES) *BINGE

Monday, March 10:

 

THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS (MOVIE)

THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2 (MOVIE)

Tuesday, March 11:

TOM PETTY: HEARTBREAKERS BEACH PARTY EXTENDED (DOCUMENTARY)

TOM PETTY: HEARTBREAKERS BEACH PARTY is a fun, candid, fast-paced and musically rich ride with America’s greatest rock & roll band, a time capsule of the dawn of the MTV era and a rare, shining glimpse into Tom Petty’s lasting creative genius. Featuring nearly 20 minutes of never-before-seen bonus content, including new commentary from Crowe himself, alongside in-depth interviews, electrifying live performances and unprecedented intimate access to Petty and the band. 

 

SIN CITY GIGOLO (SERIES) *BINGE

SIN CITY GIGOLO: A MURDER IN LAS VEGAS follows the criminal investigation of a former GIGOLOS cast member who was arrested for killing a young female client. 

 

RANGO (MOVIE) 

Friday, March 14: 

 

BURDEN OF GUILT (SERIES) *BINGE

Based on the hit podcast of the same name, BURDEN OF GUILT is a docuseries that follows Tracyraquel Berns’ emotional journey to unravel the convoluted excuses that were given about her baby brother Matthew’s sudden death when she was just two years old. Tracyraquel embarks on a relentless search to expose the darkest and deepest secret of her troubled family.

 

 TRAINING DAY (MOVIE) 

Monday, March 17: 

 

THE DEPARTED (MOVIE) 

Tuesday, March 18: 

THE THUNDERMANS: UNDERCOVER Series Premiere (SERIES) 

The half-hour series follows Phoebe and Max as they are sent undercover to handle a new threat in the beachside town of Secret Shores and bring Chloe along to develop her superhero talent.   

Thursday, March 20: 

HAPPY FACE, P+ Original Series Premiere (SERIES) 

HAPPY FACE is inspired by the true-life story of Melissa G. Moore; the critically acclaimed Happy Face podcast from iHeartPodcasts and Moore; and the autobiography Shattered Silence, written by Moore with M. Bridget Cook. At 15, Moore discovered that her beloved father was the prolific serial killer known as Happy Face. As an adult, she has changed her name and guarded her secret while her father has been serving life in prison. Jumping off from Moore’s true-life story, the Paramount+ Original Series follows Melissa (Annaleigh Ashford) and her incarcerated father, known as the Happy Face Killer (Dennis Quaid). After decades of no contact, he finally finds a way to force himself back into his daughter’s life. In a race against the clock, Melissa must find out if an innocent man is going to be put to death for a crime her father committed. Throughout, she discovers the impact her father had on his victims’ families and must face a reckoning of her own identity.

Friday, March 21: 

THE INTRUDER (MOVIE) 

Tuesday, March 25: 

THE TINY CHEF SHOW New Episode Block (SERIES) 

Thursday, March 27: 

MEET THE PARENTS (MOVIE) 

MEET THE FOCKERS (MOVIE) 

LITTLE FOCKERS (MOVIE)

Friday, March 28:

 

DONGJAE, THE GOOD OR THE BASTARD (SERIES) *BINGE

The series is licensed by Paramount Global Content Distribution outside of Korea, Japan, and Taiwan.

A spin-off of the renowned Korean thriller series Stranger, DONGJAE, THE GOOD OR THE BASTARD sees Lee Jun Hyuk reprise his role as the titular character: the corrupt prosecutor Seo Dongjae.  The 10-episode series follows Dongjae, who faces a bleak future due to his tarnished reputation, as he becomes troubled by a redevelopment case involving the murder of a high school girl.  As he uncovers more about the case, Dongjae finds himself in a dangerous balancing act between his prosecutorial instincts and opportunistic inclinations.

DONGJAE: THE GOOD OR THE BASTARD is directed by Park Gun-Ho and written by Hwang Ha-Jung and Kim Sang-Won. Julie Choi, Jang Kyung-ik, Min Hyun-il, Lee Sung-jin, Jung Hoe-suk and Kim Sung-min serve as Executive Producers. The series was created by Lee Su-Yeon and produced by Studio Dragon by CJ ENM, ACE FACTORY and HIGROUND.

Series credit line: ⓒ 2025 Tving Co., Ltd All Rights Reserved

Sunday, March 30:

MOBLAND, P+ Original Series Premiere (SERIES) 

In a small town struggling with addiction, a local sheriff tries to maintain the peace when desperate family man Shelby robs a pill mill. The supposedly easy score takes a violent turn, alerting the New Orleans mafia's revenge-seeking enforcer.