Cross Showrunner Ben Watkins on Aldis Hodge - "Born to play this role" (Exclusive)

James Patterson created the character of Alex Cross in the 1990s, a detective with a background in forensic psychology who specializes in hunting down the most devious and deranged serial killers. Over the years, the novels have resulted in three major films - Kiss The Girls, Along Came a Spider, and Alex Cross. Morgan Freeman played the brilliant detective in the first two movies.

Prime Video has now reintroduced the police detective in a brand new adaptation, titled Cross, modernized for 2024. Aldis Hodge plays the beloved character in the most recent version.

Sportskeeda chatted with Showrunner and Executive Producer Ben Watkins ahead of the show's release on Prime Video on November 14, 2024.

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How does Aldis Hodge's Alex Cross differ from Morgan Freeman's interpretation?

When Watkins was asked about what makes the current version of Cross so different from the genius investigator audiences know from the books, he said:

"That's a great question, but I feel like it's two different animals, you know. First of all, movies and TV - completely different. But also where we are. And this version of Alex Cross to me is a different version, and it has some new elements to it that I'm really excited about."

The Cross showrunner then went on to address how Hodge's interpretation differs from the part Morgan Freeman made famous:

"For me, Aldis Hodge was born to play this role. And if he's mentioned in the same breath as Morgan Freeman, then that is a huge sign of respect, and I think he deserves it."

James Patterson's novels have sold millions of copies worldwide, making the Alex Cross series one of the highest-selling works of fiction in history. Watkins explained how challenging it was to tell this story in a brand-new format:

"It's a great opportunity, but there's also some pressure that could come with that. You have to make sure you honor the legacy of a series like that, that has millions of fans worldwide. But very quickly after that, I just focused on the opportunity. Because as an artist, I don't want to be motivated by fear."

As daunting as the task was, Watkins took it up as a challenge to adapt the current version.

"I only want to be motivated by inspiration. So, I started to really just focus on what I could do to bring the legacy forward. And that meant reading the books and getting to know the character even better."

Watkins recognized that there were things that could be done in a television version that might not be as easy to do in a movie:

"Because we had more real estate. So we could do things like delve into the character and build that out more. Or show the family. Not just waving the hand at the family but really build out the characters of this family that he's part of. And the romantic relationships that he has. And the friendship with John Sampson."

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The show stars Isaiah Mustafa, Juanita Jennings, Alona Tal, Samantha Walkes, Caleb Elijah, Melody Hurd, Jennifer Wigmore, Eloise Mumford, and Ryan Eggold. Moreover, the series has already been renewed for a second season before the season 1 premiere.