For the past few years, Reacher has been Prime Video’s top book adaptation, ruling the streaming charts and transforming Alan Ritchson from the goofy dude from Blue Mountain State to a world-famous action star. A fourth season and a spinoff titled Neagley are on the way, and as we wait for them, Amazon has another major adaptation in store for us: Scarpetta.

Based on the book series of the same name by Patricia Cornwell, Scarpetta is slated to premiere on Amazon Prime Video on March 11, 2026. The series stars Nicole Kidman as Kay Scarpetta, a talented forensic pathologist who employs advanced forensic technology to solve mysteries and complex crimes. Scarpetta is of Italian descent and often travels from one territory to another to solve crimes. The series is being developed by Liz Sarnoff, better known for writing episodes of Lost and Barry, and also stars Jamie Lee Curtis as Kay’s elder sister.

Like ‘Reacher’, ‘Scarpetta’ Has Plenty of Literature To Mine From

Amazon Prime Video

Lee Child wrote 30 novels and short stories about the drifter, Jack Reacher, meaning the Prime Video series can last as long as The Simpsons if the higher-ups want it to and the demand continues to be there. After all, each season only covers one book. Well, Scarpetta is set to benefit from a similar wealth of source material. Patricia Cornwell wrote 29 novels about Kay Scarpetta, the latest hitting shelves in 2025.

The idea of bringing Scarpetta to the screen has floated around for years. In 1992, Demi Moore was meant to star in a movie about the legendary investigator, but the project was eventually canceled. Fresh news emerged in 2009, with The Guardian reporting that Fox 2000 was buying screen rights to all books that had been written at the time, to replicate the success of the Jason Bourne franchise. That plan was discarded, too, and it would take until 2023 for the rules to properly begin spinning.

Viewers should expect a slow-burning forensic thriller series similar to Maggie Q’s Ballard, rather than a punch-em-up action series like Reacher. Scarpetta intimidates with her mind, not her fists, and there’s no one more qualified to play her than Nicole Kidman, an actress with five Oscar nominations and three Emmy nominations. Then there’s Jamie Lee Curtis, an Oscar winner with two Emmy nominations. The performances will definitely be incredible.

With ‘Scarpetta’, Nicole Kidman Continues a Great TV Run

For the longest time, Nicole Kidman was a movie star, the Tom Cruise and Margot Robbie kind. You’d never catch her on the small screen. Then, in the late 2010s, she decided that she wanted to venture into television, starting with the Emmy-winning drama series, Big Little Lies. Since then, she has starred in eight TV shows, including hits like The Undoing and Lioness.

Before Big Little Lies, Kidman’s last appearance in a TV show had come in 1989, via the Australian miniseries, Bangkok Hilton. She clearly was staying away from something that was good for her, and once she tasted it again, she fell in love. If all goes well, Kidman will be in Scarpetta for many years to come, just as has been the case with Alan Ritchson and Reacher. If all doesn’t go well, we can still expect to see Kidman star in a few more TV shows.

As Kidman continues to focus on the small screen, Amazon continues to tap into books. Apart from Scarpetta, there are several other adaptations on the way, though the premiere dates haven’t been revealed. These include Carrie, Off Campus, The Love Hypothesis, Fourth Wing, Verity, and The Deal. Meanwhile, anticipation remains high for the upcoming series. Will it be bigger than Reacher?

Release Date

March 11, 2026

Network

Prime Video

Directors

David Gordon Green