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A new must-watch crime drama is coming to Prime Video. 

Cross is the streamer’s latest adaptation of a best-selling book series, after shows like Bosch, The Terminal List, and Reacher. It’s inspired by James Patterson’s novels about Washington D.C. homicide detective Alex Cross. All eight episodes premiere Thursday, Nov. 14. 

Aldis Hodge stars as Alex Cross in ‘Cross’ on Prime Video  

Aldis Hodge stars as the title character in Cross. He’s the third actor to play the fictional detective, after Morgan Freeman in the movies Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider and Tyler Perry in Alex Cross. Hodge has previously appeared in shows like City on a Hill and Leverage: Redemption and movies such as Black Adam, One Night in Miami, and The Invisible Man. 

Isaiah Mustafa plays Alex’s partner John Sampson. Melody Hurd plays Alex’s daughter Janelle, and Caleb Elijah plays his son, Damon. Jennifer Wigmore plays Chief Anderson of the D.C. police. Juanita Jennings plays Regina “Nana Mama” Cross. Other cast members include Ryan Eggold as Ed Ramsey, Johnny Ray Gill as Bobby Trey, Eloise Mumford as Shannon Witmer, Alona Tal as Kayla Craig, and Samantha Walkes as Elle Monteiro.

What is ‘Cross’ about?

Alex Cross sits on a table as he interrogates a suspect in 'Cross'
Aldis Hodge as Alex Cross | Keri Anderson/Prime Video

Cross Season 1 begins with the seemingly random murder of Alex’s wife Maria. The show then jumps forward a year, as the decorated D.C. police detective and forensic psychologist is pulled into an investigation into the suspicious death of a BLM activist. Meanwhile, a sadistic serial killer emerges from the shadows, leaving a trail of bodies strewn around the nation’s capital. As Alex and his partner track the killer, a mysterious threat from his past appears, aiming to destroy what he’s done to keep his grieving family, career, and life together.

Is the new Prime Video series based on a James Patterson book?

Stone-faced man with bleached blond hair looking forward with Alex Cross lurking in the background
Ryan Eggold as Ed Ramsey and Aldis Hodge as Alex Cross in ‘Cross’ | Keri Anderson/Prime Video

Cross is inspired by the character created by Patterson and introduced in his 1993 book Along Came a Spider. Patterson has since writen nearly 31 more novels featuring Alex Cross. However, the new show is not based on a specific book in the series. Instead, showrunner Ben Watkins made the “risky” decision to create an original story featuring the detective. 

“I read the books, and had been thinking, ‘Which one would be good for an adaptation?’” he told TVLine. “But then I started thinking that I really want to be able to take these characters and the world that’s been created and tell a story that fits our day and time, and the topics and the themes that are prominent right now.”

Watkins approached Patterson with his idea, and the author gave his blessing. 

“I was a little nervous about how he would react, but he actually loved that idea,” the Cross showrunner shared. “And he put it in terms that totally makes sense: ‘Fans of this series are going to get the characters they love. They’re going to get the world they’re familiar with. But now they’re going to get a story that’s wholly new, so it’s kind of almost a bonus.’”

Will there be a ‘Cross’ Season 2? 

Amazon is confident that Cross will be a hit. It ordered season 2 in April 2024, months before season 1’s premiere date was announced. 

Cross Season 2 doesn’t yet have a release date. Wes Chatham, Matthew Lillard, and Jeanine Mason will join the cast for the show’s sophomore season, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

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