Amazon Studios has ordered a new Alex Cross series with Aldis Hodge (Black Adam, One Night In Miami) set to portray the titular character and produce.

From Paramount Television Studios and Skydance Television, the series is described as a “complex and twisted thriller” created by producer and writer Ben Watkins, based on the best-selling Alex Cross book series by James Patterson. Deadline reported the project was in development in 2020.

Alex Cross is a detective and forensic psychologist, uniquely capable of digging into the psyches of killers and their victims, in order to identify—and ultimately capture—the murderers. He is brilliant, flawed, and full of contradictions. A doting father and family man, Cross is single-minded to the point of obsession when he hunts killers. He is desperate for love, but his wife’s murder has left him too damaged to receive it.

The Alex Cross book series has previously been adapted for film with Morgan Freeman serving as the first actor to bring the character to life in 1997’s Kiss The Girls on the big screen and again in 2001’s Along Came a Spider. Tyler Perry followed with the 2012 reboot film Alex Cross.

“James Patterson is among the best at captivating audiences with his undeniably enthralling novels and we are confident that with Ben Watkins’ artistic vision, Cross will do the same for our global customers,” said Vernon Sanders, head of global television at Amazon Studios. “We are proud to work with James and Ben alongside Paramount Television, Skydance, and the extremely talented Aldis Hodge, who we know will do an exceptional job of bringing Alex Cross to life.”

Ben Watkins serves as showrunner and executive produces the series. Sam Ernst, Jim Dunn, and Craig Siebels also executive produce, with James Patterson, Bill Robinson, and Patrick Santa executive producing for James Patterson Entertainment, and David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Bill Bost executive producing for Skydance Television.

Hodge can currently be seen in Black Adam from New Line/Warner Bros. in the role of Hawkman/Carter Hall.  He also starred in and served as an executive producer for Showtime’s City On A Hill. Hodge can also be seen on Leverage: Redemption where he reprises the role of Alec Hardison.