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Alex Cross TV Series in the Works at Amazon (EXCLUSIVE)

Joe Otterson

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James Patterson’s Alex Cross could soon be coming to the small screen.

Variety has learned exclusively that Amazon is currently developing an Alex Cross TV series, based on the novels starring the character written by Patterson. Throughout the book series, Cross works as a detective, FBI agent, and psychologist in Washington D.C. There is no word yet on which specific novel or novels the show would focus on, but there are currently 29 books total from which to choose.

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Patterson and Bill Robinson of James Patterson Entertainment will executive produce along with David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Marcy Ross for Skydance Television. The series hails from Amazon Studios, Paramount Television Studios, and Skydance.

Should the project go forward, it would not be the first time Cross has appeared onscreen. Morgan Freeman played the character in two films — “Kiss the Girls” in 1997 and “Along Came a Spider” in 2001. Tyler Perry then played him in the film “Alex Cross,” which was released in 2012.

This also marks the latest collaboration between Amazon, Skydance, and Paramount on a series based on a book character. The three companies are currently collaborating on the action series “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan,” which is preparing to air its third season on the streamer. It was announced last week that Amazon had greenlit a series based on Lee Childs’ Jack Reacher novels with Skydance and Paramount also producing that show with Amazon. Season 1 of that series will be based Childs’ first Jack Reacher novel, “The Killing Floor.”

James Patterson Entertainment is currently under a development deal with Imagine Entertainment to create shows based on Patterson’s children’s books, while the company is also currently under a first-look deal with CBS Television Studios. Most recently, Patterson and Bill Clinton landed a pilot order at Showtime for a project based on their book “The President Is Missing,” which was released in 2018. David Oyelowo is attached to star in the pilot. Other shows based on Patterson’s work include “Instinct,” “Zoo,” and “Women’s Murder Club.”

Patterson is repped by CAA and Ziffren Brittenham.

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