'Black Adam' Star Aldis Hodge Boards Amazon's 'Alex Cross' TV Series

Hot off the heels of his starring role as Hawkman/Carter Hall in DC's "Black Adam" opposite Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, actor Aldis Hodge has just booked his next major franchise role, taking the role of Alex Cross based on the bestselling novel series by author James Patterson.

Amazon Studios announced the news this week via press release. Hodge will star in the new "Alex Cross" television series that is currently in the works from Paramount Television Studios and Skydance Television.

Hodge will star in the new thriller TV series, created and produced by Ben Watkins, and based on the "Alex Cross" book series by Patterson. The books highlight the cases of Alex Cross, a detective and forensic psychologist, who has a unique skill in digging into the psyches of his killers and their victims to capture the culprits.

The upcoming series will be available on Prime Video. Hodge will also serve as a producer on the series. While Cross is brilliant and also a doting father and family man, he tends to find himself with a single-minded obsessiveness when he tracks killers. The series will also see him desperate for love following the murder of his wife, which has left him in a very damaged and vulnerable place.

Amazon Studios Head of Global TV Vernon Sanders said in a statement, "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." He continued, "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."

Watkins will serve as the lead showrunner for "Alex Cross." It will be executive produced by Sam Ernst, Jim Dunn, and Craig Siebels. Author James Patterson, Bill Robinson, and Patrick Santa are also executive producing the project for James Patterson Entertainment. David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Bill Bost are executive producing the show for Skydance Television.

Aldis recently appeared in the comic book superhero blockbuster "Black Adam" opposite The Rock. The film opened big at the global box office, grossing $140 million worldwide in its opening weekend.

This is not the first time Hollywood has adapted Patterson's "Alex Cross" novel series. Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman starred as the character in two films, first 1997's "Kiss the Girls" and later its 2001 sequel, "Along Came a Spider."

A big-screen reboot was attempted in 2012 with "Alex Cross," starring Tyler Perry and directed by Rob Cohen. The film was a box office flop and did poorly with critics.

Amazon Studios appears to be investing heavily in thriller novel IPs as of late, which have been attracting some big-name talent. The streamer already has "Jack Ryan," based on the iconic Tom Clancy series, which will debut its third Season on December 21. There's also the breakout hit show "Reacher," based on the Lee Child books, which was adapted as a TV series for Amazon Prime Video following two feature films that starred Tom Cruise as the character. A second season is currently in the works.

Chris Pratt also starred in the Amazon Prime Video series, "The Terminal List," based on Jack Carr's novels on Navy Seal James Reece. However, Amazon has yet to announce another season of the show. So, it looks like the "Alex Cross" series will be Amazon's latest foray into adapting popular thriller novel series as live-action television shows. Amazon's "Jack Ryan" and "Reacher" are also co-productions with Paramount and Skydance Television.

The new "Alex Cross" television show does not yet have a premiere date. The show will stream on Amazon Prime Video later on.