James Patterson, author of the originalAlex Crossnovels, has defended Tyler Perry’s portrayal of the character in the 2012 film of the same name, blaming the movie’s director for its failure. The movie was adapted from the 2006 novelCross, the 12th book in the series, and followed the titular detective and psychologist hunting down a serial killer.Alex Crosswas critically panned, earning an 11% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. This resulted in the cancellation of a planned sequel and the franchise moving to a new medium, with the recentCrossTV show being the latest adaptation.
Speaking withThe Hollywood Reporter, Patterson said thatAlex Cross’movie format didn’t allow it to fully delve into the backstories of important characters from the books, like Samson, who never appeared in the 2012 adaptation.He also blamed director Rob Cohen for the film’s failure, claiming he’d continually rewrite the script, leading to the film’s bad reception. While praising Perry, he also praised Aldis Hodge, who portrays the titular character in theCrossTV show. Check out what Patterson had to say below:
Well, in the movies you get two hours, and they didn’t have time to really develop Samson, so Samson was always an afterthought. But in this, he’s great. I think I’ve been very lucky, and it’s kind of a little unusual, in that we’ve had two actors play Jack Reacher. Sherlock Holmes, God knows how many people [have played him], and we’ve got three really good actors, different approaches [who’ve been Alex] with Morgan [Freeman], Aldis [Hodge] and Tyler Perry. Tyler got screwed by the director.
The director just screwed him. The director came in, this is bizarre, but every night he would sit there and rewrite the script. So we would go out, Tyler would get the new script, which is tough, and it would be a first draft, essentially. And Tyler, when he was in Gone Girl, it was a small part, but you were like, “he can do this” — he’s a great guy. So I’ve been lucky in terms of having three very different guys, and I love all of the takes. Aldis is great. I just finished the Pacino autobiography, and Al really gets into it. He just goes deep and I feel a lot of that with Aldis. Right from the first time I talked to him, he’s like, “I’ve got to get in, I’ve got to understand this guy.” And you will see scenes where you see two or three sides of him in the same scene, which I think is really great.
What Patterson’s Comments About Tyler Perry’s Alex Cross Say About The Movie
There Was Some Potential For The Cross Adaptation
So far,Prime Video’sCrossis the best-reviewed adaptationof Patterson’s book series so far, indicating the show is the right direction for the thrilling crime mystery. However,the author believes 2012’sAlex Crosshad potential,echoing some critics who enjoyed Perry’s performance but not Cohen’s direction of the film. This is also what resulted in its poor box office performance, earning a paltry $34.6 million against a $35 million budget.
Cross Interview: Aldis Hodge & Isaiah Mustafa On James Patterson Detective’s Investigation Style & No-Nonsense Partner
Cross stars Aldis Hodge and Isaiah Mustafa break down the titular detective’s investigative style, his no-nonsense partner and his dangerous case.
The positive reception to the new TV show signals there are ways to make theAlex Crossseriespalatable for audiences, despite the constant film failures. Although the Morgan Freeman-led adaptationsKiss the GirlsandAlong Came a Spiderwere commercially successful,they still weren’t as well-liked by critics as the new TV series. However, Patterson’s faith in Perry coupled with the praise his performance still netted him from critics, indicates his leading role could have been effective in different hands.
Our Take On Patterson’s Defense Of Tyler Perry’s Alex Cross
He’s Proven Himself A Talented Actor With Better Material
Perry has proven himself a talented actor in movies likeGone Girl, indicating he can fit into serious roles when given the proper material. This reflects the potential Patterson saw in him forAlex Cross, indicative of why he laments what the movie could have been. While the new TV series means the actor won’t get a chance to reprise his role as the character, he could still be cast in potentially similar roles in the future, should he decide to pursue any.
Tyler Perry’s upcoming movies include Netflix’sThe Six Triple EightandMadea’s Destination Wedding.
Alex Cross
Cast
Tyler Perry stars as the titular psychologist/police lieutenant Alex Cross in this film adaptation of the action thriller novel by James Patterson. Acting as a reboot of the film series, the film sees the lieutenant consider taking up a position at the FBI to be there for his wife and unborn child in a less dangerous position. But when tragedy strikes, Cross is forced to dive head first into the criminal underworld to track down a serial killer before he kills a prolific industrialist while seeking vengeance.
