Scarpetta: Nicole Kidman's star-studded serial killer thriller based on iconic books drops soon
Kay Scarpetta is finally coming to TV
Scarpetta, Patricia Cornwell’s iconic literary heroine, is about to make her TV debut – and she’ll be played by Nicole Kidman.
Who are the most renowned and popular crime writers of the 21st century? Ian Rankin, John Grisham, and Jo Nesbø are certainly on the list, and that’s before we get to Lee Child, James Patterson, and Ann Cleeves.
Patricia Cornwell is a powerhouse of the genre. She has written 36 novels – and the majority centre on one character: Kay Scarpetta.
Next month, she’ll be brought to life by Kidman in the first major adaptation of Cornwell’s series – so here’s what we know so far.
What is Scarpetta about?
Scarpetta is billed as a “forensic crime thriller”, following Dr. Kay Scarpetta as she tries to solve a decades-old case that still haunts her.
“With skilled hands and an unnerving eye, this unrelenting medical examiner is determined to serve as the voice of the victims, unmask a serial killer, and prove that her career-making case from 28 years prior isn’t also her undoing,” the synopsis reads.
Your typical crime thriller focuses on the frontline police work or the detectives. This time, Scarpetta will get into the nitty-gritty of forensic investigations, revealing both the complexities of her work and the psychological consequences.
Or, as Amazon puts it, “a multi-layered thriller that examines the toll of pursuing justice at all costs”.
Release date and how to watch Scarpetta
Scarpetta will be exclusively available to stream via Prime Video on March 11, 2026.
This goes for every territory it’s available in (unlike The Night Manager, which was exclusive to BBC in the UK but streamed via Prime in other countries).
Some truths are better left buried. #Scarpetta premieres March 11 on Prime Video. pic.twitter.com/gjCI8Wj3L8
— Patricia Cornwell (@1pcornwell) February 11, 2026
There hasn’t been indication that it’s a weekly release, so expect all episodes to drop on the same day. March 11 is a Wednesday, so you can either dive in straight away or save it for a weekend binge.
Is it based on a specific book?
While unconfirmed, the Scarpetta TV series doesn’t appear to be based on a specific book. Instead, it appears to be piecing parts of multiple books together.
For example, we know there will be two timelines, so we’ll see a younger version of Scarpetta. Could that mean we see the events of Postmortem or another ’90s novel? Possibly.
The biggest clue is Scarpetta’s return to Virginia, as revealed in the trailer. This could mean the first season will be a loose adaptation of 2004’s Trace.
Who’s in the Scarpetta cast?
Nicole Kidman plays Dr. Kay Scarpetta. Speaking to Amazon, she revealed she’d been pursuing the role for almost two decades.
“[It] feels like it was meant to be. I cannot wait to inhabit Kay Scarpetta and am so thankful to Patricia Cornwell for entrusting me with her.”
Speaking to Vanity Fair, Kidman also described the script as “terrifying… it’s crazy how I’m frightened reading it”.
Jamie Lee Curtis also stars as Dorothy, Kay’s sister. “I have wanted to bring Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta to a screen, with my company, Comet Pictures, for a while,” she said.
“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… and a warning… there will be blood.”
Full Scarpetta cast and crew
- Rosy McEwen as young Kay Scarpetta
- Amanda Righetti as young Dorothy
- Ariana DeBose as Lucy Farinelli-Watson
- Bobby Cannavale as Pete Marino
- Jake Cannavale as young Pete Marino
- Simon Baker as Benton Wesley
- Hunter Parrish as young Benton Wesley
- Sosie Bacon as Abby Turnball
- Charlie B. Foster as Wingo
Liz Sarnoff, a TV writer who worked on Barry and Lost, serves as showrunner, with directors like David Gordon Green (Halloween) and Charlotte Brändström (The Rings of Power) tapped for multiple episodes.
What does Patricia Cornwell think?
Patricia Cornwell has given the Scarpetta series her blessing. When it was first announced, she said she was “beyond excited”.
“This will be great fun for all, and I’m grateful for the immense talent that the show is drawing,” Cornwell continued.
“I’ve always been a huge fan of Jamie Lee Curtis and Nicole Kidman. Their wanting to do this is humbling and simply awesome. Working with the brilliant Liz Sarnoff is amazing. Blumhouse and Prime Video are a dream. This has been worth waiting for, and I’m so looking forward to the show.”
Read more: The best TV shows on Prime Video you can watch right now
