Tyler Perry to Play Alex Cross?

Tyler Perry to Play Alex Cross?

Movie News

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

While James Patterson’s Alex Cross novels have long been a successful franchise for the mystery author, cinematic adaptations have tended to fall pretty flat. “Kiss the Girls” and “Along Came a Spider,” both starring Morgan Freeman as Cross, were the kind of generically effective thrillers that are reasonably entertaining while you watch them, but fade from memory soon after.

Of course, Hollywood is always about reboots these days, and now it seems that they don’t even care whether or not the franchise which they are rebooting was all that profitable in the past. As such, the novel “I, Alex Cross” is getting an adaptation, with the surprising choice of Tyler Perry in the lead role, according to Deadline.

Previously, Alex Cross’ return to film was being developed for Idris Elba, the talented actor who lit up the screen as Stringer Bell in “The Wire” and provided a stoic counterpoint to Steve Carell in a few brief episodes of “The Office.” For a role that involves playing a detective forced to encounter the grim realities of the criminal mind, Elba seemed like a perfect choice.

Perry, on the other hand, is most well-known for his work in comedy, although there’s always been a dramatic core that was central to his work. He may very well have the acting skill necessary to pull off the Cross role, but we wonder whether audiences will be able to divorce him from their preconceived notions. When he appeared in a brief role for the latest “Star trek” movie, there was some confusion among moviegoers who didn’t expect him to play that type of part. We hope this gives him the opportunity to branch out.