Fans of mysteries, crime fiction, and Nicole Kidman have been eagerly awaiting any glimpses of the forthcoming Prime Video series Scarpetta, based on the best-selling novels by Patricia Cornwell. Well, wait no longer.
IGN can exclusively reveal the very first teaser art from the upcoming show.
Scarpetta is adapted and is written for television by Liz Sarnoff from Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta book series and stars Nicole Kidman, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ariana DeBose, Bobby Cannavale, and Simon Baker.
Prime Video says:
This mystery/thriller drama is set in two timelines, current day and the late ‘90s, allowing each season to tackle two of Cornwell’s books simultaneously. The audience gets to see the beginnings of Kay Scarpetta (Nicole Kidman) as a Chief Medical Examiner and where she is now as she returns to her hometown and picks up her old position with complex relationships – including her sister (Jamie Lee Curtis) – personal and professional grudges and secrets to uncover.
Rosy McEwan, who plays a younger version of Kidman's character (and is also seen in the poster above), told IGN that she felt a "big responsibility" in taking on the role.
"Kay is a beloved character," McEwan says, "and I wanted to make sure I did her story justice. As we had two storylines going on at once, it made for a wild ride! I hope it makes for a full immersion into her narrative. A whole world has been created, first by Patrica and then by (showrunner) Liz (Sarnoff). There is murder – yes, and detective work – yes. But these are also real people with real lives and there’s drama that lives within that too! I hope it will feel like a true insight into all the parts of working as a pathologist and beyond."
For her part, Sarnoff says that her collaboration with Kidman and McEwan was a "joy."
"Nicole and Rosy are two of the deepest most dedicated artists I’ve ever worked with," Sarnoff says. "They made every moment of Scarpetta’s inner life – the moments that defined, destroyed, and ultimately delivered her – absolutely riveting. I’m most excited for people to see these performances and experience the emotional inner life of so many great female characters in two pivotal points in their lives: the start of their storied careers and what it feels like to try and do better 25 years later."
Scarpetta premieres March 11 on Prime Video. The series is executive produced by Nicole Kidman and Per Saari through Blossom Films, Jamie Lee Curtis through Comet Pictures, writer and showrunner Liz Sarnoff through Sarnoff TV, author Patricia Cornwell through P & S Projects, as well as Jason Blum, Jeremy Gold, Chris Dickie, and Chris McCumber through Blumhouse Television. David Gordon Green directed five episodes and also serves as executive producer alongside Amy Sayres. The series is produced by Amazon MGM Studios and Blumhouse Television in association with Blossom Films, Comet Pictures, and P&S Projects.
Michael Peyton is the Senior Editorial Director of Events & Entertainment at IGN, leading entertainment content and coverage of tentpole events including IGN Live, San Diego Comic Con, gamescom, and IGN Fan Fest. He's spent 20 years working in the games and entertainment industry, and his adventures have taken him everywhere from the Oscars to Japan to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Follow him on Bluesky @MichaelPeyton
