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EXCLUSIVE: Summit Entertainment has acquired domestic distribution rights to I, Alex Cross, the reboot of the James Patterson franchise. Tyler Perry stars as the title character, with Rob Cohen directing. Lost‘s Matthew Fox was just set to play Michael Sullivan, a psycho serial killer who viciously murders Cross’s wife when the detective thwarts his earlier attempt to commit a murder. The drama becomes a mano a mano battle between cop and the killer who is one of the most memorable villains in Patterson’s novels. Ed Burns will play Cross’s partner Tommy Kane.
Three distributors chased the picture. One was Lionsgate, which has the long relationship on all the hit films that Perry has directed and starred in. But Summit Entertainment had an “in” as well: Summit co-chairman/CEO Rob Friedman. Friedman, former Vice Chairman and COO at Paramount Pictures Motion Picture Group, had an active hand in Paramount’s release of the first two Alex Cross films, Kiss the Girls and Along Came A Spider, which starred Morgan Freeman. He personally oversaw the acquisition and has a relationship with the author.
Production will begin on August 8, and the film is expected to be ready for release in fall, 2012 or early 2013. Kerry Williamson wrote the script and Marc Moss rewrote it. QED partners Bill Block and Paul Hanson will produce along with Leopoldo Gout and Steve Bowen, who spearhead Patterson’s film endeavors. WME put together the package.
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First Twilight, then The Hurt Locker now Alex Cross, Summit should cast Rob Friedman as the lead in Red 2, he’s way more bad ass than Bruce Willis!
Tyler Perry, what a slap in the face to this franchise!! So many better “actors” to play Cross!
I was hoping Matthew Fox was going to play Alex Cross. Way better choice than Tyler Perry.
Huh?
Ok verrrrryyyy funny!
They should have left this project in Korbelin/Grasic hands. They had Idris Elba attached… such a better fit.
This seems like a coup for Lionsgate. And probably Perry’s strongest flim to date.
Calvin, its Summit, not lionsgate, can you read?
AHH so much better than Morgan …..
PLEASE TELL ME YOU’RE KIDDING!!
You’ve gotta be high if you’re saying that. Send me some, squeeze it through the series of pipes toward me.
Will he also be playing “Nana Mama”?
No one could do as much damage to the Cross franchise as Patterson himself has done (and to his other running characters in other series, i.e. Women’s Murder Club, etc)in the last few years.
“I, Alex…” is one of the first in a long time that did not carry (in much smaller print) the name of a supposed “co-author.” And as even THAT novel shares so many of the shortcomings now familiar in the “co-authored” novels, I suspect other hands were also at work on “I, Alex,” even if his/her/their names remain unknown.
Patterson has clearly sacrificed quality in order to keep pumping out titles and “I, Alex Cross” is no exception.
Patterson is entitled to multiply his earnings to whatever the market will bear, but I stopped contributing to it quite some time ago, instead relying on libraries and less discriminating friends for borrowing when I wanted to check in and see if the decline has continued. It has.
Tyler Perry is a surprise? The real surprise is that we haven’t seen Patterson’s books also sold as MORE TV series, graphic novels, cartoons, comic books and literally any other genre where someone might have the ability to cut Patterson a check.
The screenplay deviates significantly from I Alex Cross and the original source, Cross. It’s a solid thriller written with Perry in mind…. maybe he will surprise the doubters.
I, Alex Cross Dresser
Bullseye!
Tyler perry is one of the worst actors around. There were soooo many better choices out there. Anthony Mackey anyone? I feel bad for Mathew Fox having to play opposite Perry, it’ll be a tough task.
Fox is no prize package either. He’s a decent, not great TV actor. Though I do sense some dark in him, maybe he can coax it out for this.
Am I the only one who thinks the main reason Tyler Perry won’t cut it is because he just isn’t good-looking enough to carry a movie without drag? Putting aside his limitations as an actor, even if he turns in a stunning performance, dude is seriously homely. That’s OK if the role doesn’t require it, but this isn’t Knocked Up. A lot of people don’t watch his drag stuff and a lot of people don’t read the books. To get those audiences you’ll need to appeal to people who want hot people to look at. The world would a better place if it wasn’t that way, but it is. They don’t need to cast Tyrese Gibson but there has got to be a middle option.
@ spacelamb,
Could not agree more. Tyler Perry is a terrible actor and I dislike the way in which his movies denigrate people with their ridiculous ethnic stereotypes. That aside, Anthony Mackie or Idris Elba would be a much better choice than Perry himself. Is he too narcissistic to see past the fact that he has no business playing that role?
Have you read the book??? Ok let’s ge
The book about Maria Cross’s death at the hands on Michael Sullivan was “Cross.” It is not “I, Alex Cross. Are they actually using the title from one book and the plot from another?
I also think the choice of Tyler Perry to play the role of Alex Cross is just ridiculous. I like the Alex Cross series but there is no way I will go see this movie with this casting.
The only reason why Lionsgate is allowing Tyler Perry to play Cross is because he secretly controls the studio. Tyler Perry could buy a script about a dancing pill-popping monkey, and the studio would greenlight the film with a $300 million dollar budget.
I think you hit the nail on the head. Go to a mid-level studio and make them some money and they’ll let you run all over them.
This Cross “reboot” will be a train wreck and it’s because they got the casting unforgivably wrong. NOBODY sees Tyler Perry and thinks “alpha male.”
John Gracia, WHO THE HELL TOLD YOU ABOUT MY SCRIPT WITH THE DANCING, PILL-POPPING MONEY?!
It’s the LAST damned time I take one of those AFI pitching workshops.
But I am confident that I’m taking this high concept in a completely different direction from what would seem to be the obvious direction, and my inciting incident DOES hit precisely on page 20.
Terrible author.
The news of the Cross books coming to the big screen again was so much better when Idris Elba was attached. Now I can’t stop thinking it will look like a pricey Lifetime original. Oh well, I can always watch series one of Luther again.
I am most definitely not a fan of Tyler Perry’s films. However, I think he caters to a niche audience and understands what they expect. He can do better but why bother when his formula works for him.
There may be more respected actors for this part but most couldn’t draw flies to a picnic while Tyler maintains a cult-like following.
I believe if he puts his mind to it he can deliver a good performance. I also feel he cares what people think and is aware of the criticism which will motivate him to prove everyone wrong.
Don’t be surprised if he pulls it off.
Yeah. So not a fan of this dude but he knows his audience and he has shown Hollywood what they can do with their disregard for it (that audience). He’s sashaying all the way to the bank.
As for him as AC. Yikes. Just so weird. I can’t see it at all but I wouldn’t lay my next paycheck on him failing, he might have something in him that we haven’t seen.
Lionsgate would green light the pill-popping monkey movie as long as TP promises the monkey will be in drag and praise god in the end.
There is absolutely nothing about this reboot that doesn’t scream D2DVD bargain bin. The director and cast are strictly D list. How dreadful.
I have a feeling he will pull it off.
I was really disappointed in the choice of Tyler Perry, filling Morgan’s shoes will be like substituting a mannequin for a live body. I really like the chemistry Freeman and Judd had in their movies, but Tyler and anyone not in his circle looks like a leap. After destroying “For Colored Girls…”, I don’t hold out much hope..but a $20Mil opening will make the studios happy.
All you haters everyone thought Will Smith would make a terrible Muhammad Ali but he showed everyone. Sometimes you can step away from what you do to become what you are. I think Tyler will surprise us all. People say you cant write until you’ve suffered some great thing in your life, I think tyler has a lot of pain and talent to draw on.. No one never knows.
Tyler I wish you well, when everyone thinks you will fail, its when we as people surprise the Hell out of them………….
I’m glad that Tyler Perry can use his acting in a different setting. He must be doing something right or he wouldn’t in the position he’s in. All those who think he can’t act outside of doing”Madea” just wait for the movie to be made! You please everyone all the time. And if you have read any of the”Alex Cross” series you would know that the character is casted as a a”nice looking man” So what one person thinks is nice looking another may think differently! But I think Tyler is a nice looking man and will do a good job at “Surprising the Hell” out of those who think otherwise.
Jason George from “Off the Map” and GREY’S Anatomy would have made a much better choice.
This surely makes perfect sense to me!!!
I am looking forward to Tyler Perry stepping out of his usual comedic role. Not good looking? Who are you kidding, he is a very good looking man. I love Morgan Freeman & I’m sure I will love Tyler in a new role. He needs to get out of the typecast he put himself in with all the Madea roles. Give him a chance, what’s it going to hurt?
Why not wait and see what Tyler can do? Ive never seen him in anything but comedy, give him a break! Morgan Freeman was no great looker! Tyler is better looking than him! Unless you put Denzel in there, leave Tyler alone!
I agree Idris Elba would have been a FAR better choice.
Apparently the casting isn’t the only problem. They have taken the villain from “Cross” and inserted him into “I, Alex Cross” What happened to Zeus?!?