The highly-anticipated series Cross is set to debut later this year on Prime Video, and will be the latest adaptation that looks to bring author James Patterson’s beloved character of Alex Cross to life. Unlike the previous theatrical movies that took their cues from Patterson’s novels, however, this new iteration of the famed detective/forensic psychologist will break from tradition to tell its own story, something that the author told Entertainment Weekly he prefers.
“It’s something I say when anybody is developing one of my books or characters: I much prefer the story be brand new. I was hoping the show would be a breakthrough and not dependent on the book, and it’s happened.”
Starring Aldis Hodge, Cross sees the titular hero and his partner, John Sampson (Isaiah Mustafa), team up to track a serial killer from Cross’ past who looks to tear apart his present. Having already appeared in a number of crime dramas, including City on a Hill and Leverage: Redemption, it’s a genre that’s familiar to Hodge, whose performance earned him praise from Patterson.
“He’s great at portraying the issues of trying to be a detective and raising a family in this country right now. And he’s got some of that charisma stuff going on, too. What do the kids call it? Rizz?”
Why Cross Decided to Tell Its Own Story
Unlike Prime Video’s Reacher, which has thus far stuck pretty close to author Lee Childs’ popular novel series to rely on its stories, Cross creator and showrunner Ben Watkins wanted to take things in a different direction for his Patterson adaptation. By presenting audiences and fans of the Alex Cross books with a fresh new story, it keeps everyone guessing, and gives nothing away in terms of its ending. It’s a conscious decision that Watkins made at the outset, but with that being said, he also remarks that Cross keeps the spirit of Patterson’s novels alive for longtime readers.
“I said I was not going to do any of the seasons based on the books. I thought it was really important that we give fans a new offering, that we honor the characters and the world so that they would feel like they were getting what they signed up for, but also then give them a new story. They’ll get what those books feel like.”
Amazon is betting big on Cross becoming a success, and has already renewed it for a second season before its first episode even airs. They have no reason to think otherwise, as similar shows like the aforementioned Reacher (and others like Bosch) have found great success on the streaming service. Based on the explosive teaser trailer seen above, Cross looks to follow in their footsteps and deliver a series that’s full of tension and drama, with a relatable family-man hero who we can root for. It has all the ingredients it needs to be a hit, and all that’s left now is for audiences to make their own judgments when the eight-episode first season hits Prime Video on November 14.
