Aman Goyal
Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis will team up in the Athens of the South later this year! Prime Video’s ‘Scarpetta’ is slated to start shooting in Nashville, Tennessee, on October 28. The production will last until February 21, 2025. The thriller drama is an adaptation of Patricia Cornwell’s series of crime novels that revolve around Dr. Kay Scarpetta. Developed by Elizabeth “Liz” Sarnoff, the show stars Kidman and Curtis as sisters Kay Scarpetta and Dorothy, respectively. The three also serve as executive producers of the series, along with Per Saari.
The plot centers on Dr. Kay Scarpetta, a forensic pathologist of Italian descent, partially based on the real-life medical examiner Marcella Farinelli Fierro. Scarpetta employs advanced forensic technology to solve crimes, navigating through various settings, including Florida, Virginia, and Charleston, South Carolina.
Kidman, known for her acclaimed work across films, television, and theater, has previously starred in television hits like HBO’s ‘Big Little Lies,’ winning two Primetime Emmys. Her most recent credits include Margaret in Lulu Wang’s Prime Video series ‘Expats.’ Her upcoming drama shows, ‘Things I Know to be True’ and ‘Pretty Things,’ are also Prime Video ventures. The collaborations between Kidman and the streaming giant exceed the boundaries of television to films, which include the Academy Award-nominated biopic ‘Being the Ricardos.’
In addition to the superhero film ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,‘ Kidman has also worked in a wide variety of shows for other networks, such as ‘Special Ops: Lioness‘ on Paramount+, ‘Roar’ on Apple TV+, ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ on Hulu, and ‘The Perfect Couple’ on Netflix. The actress has several upcoming movies under her belt, including A24’s erotic-thriller ‘Babygirl’ and Amazon MGM Studios’ ‘Holland, Michigan.’
Sarnoff, who is best known as the co-creator of ‘Alcatraz,’ was attached to ‘Scarpetta’ when the early development of the series began back in 2021. Sarnoff has written episodes of several acclaimed and popular shows, such as HBO’s Western drama ‘Deadwood,’ J. J. Abrams’ ‘Lost,’ and, more recently, the Alec Berg-Bill Hader action-comedy ‘Barry.’ Her experience of working on the detective shows ‘Crossing Jordan’ and ‘NYPD Blue’ is expected to influence the upcoming Prime Video series for a thrilling experience.
The project marks the first time the tales of Scarpetta will transition from the pages of Cornwell’s novels — 28 in total as of 2024 — to the screen. The detective books have drawn producers’ attention in the past, with actresses Demi Moore and Angelina Jolie being involved in embodying the literary forensic expert for television and film franchises, respectively. The current adaptation is gearing up for production thanks to the collaborative efforts of Kidman’s Blossom Films, Curtis’ Comet Pictures, and Blumhouse Television. The involvement of Kidman and Curtis was confirmed in 2023, before the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
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