Move Over ‘Reacher’ — Prime Video’s ‘Scarpetta’ Is Coming [Exclusive]

2 hours ago 2

Published Feb 25, 2026, 10:00 AM EST

Chris is a Senior News Writer for Collider. He can be found in an IMAX screen, with his eyes watering and his ears bleeding for his own pleasure. He joined the news team in 2022 and accidentally fell upwards into a senior position despite his best efforts.

For reasons unknown, he enjoys analyzing box office receipts, giant sharks, and has become known as the go-to man for all things Bosch, Mission: Impossible and Christopher Nolan in Collider's news division. Recently, he found himself yeehawing along to the Dutton saga on the Yellowstone Ranch.

He is proficient in sarcasm, wit, Photoshop and working unfeasibly long hours. Amongst his passions sit the likes of the history of the Walt Disney Company, the construction of theme parks, steam trains and binge-watching Gilmore Girls with a coffee that is just hot enough to scald him.

His obsession with the Apple TV+ series Silo is the subject of mockery within the Senior News channel, where his feelings about Taylor Sheridan's work are enough to make his fellow writers roll their eyes.

It's time for Prime Video to bring us another immense crime thriller for us to obsess over. As part of Collider’s Exclusive Spring Preview, we’re debuting a first look at a brand new image from Scarpetta, Prime Video’s buzzy new crime thriller that’s been years in the making. Based on the bestselling novels by Patricia Cornwell, the series marks the first time the iconic forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta has been adapted for the screen. And Prime Video did not come to play with the casting. Leading the charge is Nicole Kidman as Scarpetta, alongside Jamie Lee Curtis, who plays her sister Dorothy. The stacked ensemble also includes Ariana DeBose, Bobby Cannavale, and Simon Baker.

Our exclusive look at the series, which you can see below, sees Baker getting sworn into office by Anna Diop. Cornwell’s series began in 1990 with Postmortem and has since spanned 29 novels, following Kay Scarpetta, a medical examiner and forensic pathologist inspired by former Virginia Chief Medical Examiner Marcella Farinelli Fierro. The books are known for their clinical accuracy and grounded depictions of crime scene investigation — less flashy gimmicks, more painstaking science. Methodical and intelligent, just the kind of crime-solver Prime Video viewers love (looking at you, Reacher). The streamer has built a strong track record adapting popular thriller franchises — Reacher, Jack Ryan, and Cross have all thrived. But Scarpetta feels different. It’s less overtly action-driven and more character-focused, potentially carving out space between traditional procedurals and darker prestige crime dramas.

What Can We Expect From 'Scarpetta'?

Speaking when she was cast, acting legend Curtis teased the drama and the fun to come for audiences:

“I have wanted to bring Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta to a screen, with my company, Comet Pictures, for a while. I’m particularly excited that Nicole Kidman will finally bring her to life. I’m also looking forward to playing Nicole’s sister as we tell the story with Liz Sarnoff’s expert care, leadership, skill, and talent, and I am excited to work again with David as our director. I know the ardent fans of the books will be very happy, and the new audience will be compelled by the characters, crimes, and mysteries that are the trifecta of Patricia’s masterful storytelling. Blumhouse, Blossom, and Prime Video are the perfect partners to bring Scarpetta to you, and a warning........there WILL be BLOOD.”

Scarpetta premieres on Prime Video on March 11. Check out our previews of the hottest upcoming television and film projects here, at Collider’s Exclusive Spring Preview.