Warning! This article contains spoilers for Cross season 1.A missing story fromCrossseason 1 serves as the perfect reminder to watch a divisive Morgan Freeman movie that came out over two decades ago. Featuring Aldis Hodge as its titular detective character,Crossseason 1 unfolds like a typical crime thriller, where its protagonist races against time to catch a serial killer while fighting his own demons. However, despite dabbling with many familiar tropes and ideas,Crossestablishes itself as a worthy competitor to other grippingdetective shows on Amazon Prime Videowith its well-timed twists and strong performances.
Interestingly,Crossis based on James Patterson’sAlex Crossbooks. However, unlike most other thriller book adaptations likeJack RyanandReacheron Amazon Prime Video,Crossavoids being loyal to its source material. Instead, it adopts an original storyline while only borrowing a few narrative and character beats from the original books. Despite being original in more ways than one,Crossfeatures many hidden story details that subtly remind a viewer of a 23-year-oldMorgan Freeman movie.
Cross Season 1 Skips Over The Events Of Alex Cross' First Few Books (But References Them)
Despite Having An Original Story, Cross Season 1 Features Subtle Nods To Its Source Material
Amazon’sCrossdoes not follow the story beats from any particularAlex Crossnovel. However, as its narrative suggests, it focuses on one of the earlier arcs of the character’s long journey as a talented detective. Even thoughCrossavoids closely adapting the original books' stories, it features some intriguing nods to the first few novels in the James Patterson series. For instance, in the show’s first episode itself, the central serial killer, Ed Ramsey, claims to be Alex Cross' fan and recalls how solving the Gary Soneji case made him a celebrity.
…Alex Cross has already experienced the events ofAlong Came a Spiderand his timeline is set further ahead than the earlier books.
The Gary Soneji case is a direct reference to the events of James Patterson’s firstAlex Crossnovel,Along Came A Spider. In the book, Gary Murphy/Soneji, who has dissociative identity disorder, is one of the main characters and has dissociative identity disorder. WhileCrossseason 1’s Ed Ramseyis an original villain who never appears in the books, the fact that he mentions Gary Soneji connects the show’s narrative to one of the main story beats from the source material. It highlights that Alex Cross has already experienced the events ofAlong Came a Spiderand his timeline is set further ahead than the earlier books.
Alex Cross' First Book Was Adapted In Morgan Freeman’s 2001 Thriller Along Came A Spider
Unlike The Show, The 2001 Movie Is A Loyal Adaptation
FeaturingMorgan Freeman as Alex Cross, 2001’sAlong Came A Spiderwas directed by Lee Tamahori. The film’s storyline was based on James Patterson’s 1993 novel of the same title. However, owing to its limited runtime, the movie avoided adapting many crucial plot points from the original book. Against a budget of $28 million,the movie went on to gross $105.2 million at the global box office. Even though 2001’sAlong Came A Spiderhas a standalone story, it serves as a follow-up to 1997’sKiss The Girls, which adapted James Patterson’s second book in theAlex Crossseries.
Who Killed Alex’s Wife Maria & Why In Cross
Alex Cross' wife, Maria, is brutally murdered in the opening moments of Amazon Prime Video’s Cross, raising many questions about who killed her & why.
Like the original book, 2001’sAlong Came A Spiderfeatures Gary Soneji as one of the key players in its story, who is initially introduced as the primary villain but later revealed to be a ploy in another character’s overarching plan. Given how Morgan Freeman plays Alex Cross in the film, it does not serve as an official prequel to Amazon’sCrossseason 1. However, since the show refers to the movie’s events in the past tense, viewers can check it out to learn more about Alex Cross' backstory and the criminal case he solved before he crossed paths with Ed Ramsey.
How Aldis Hodge’s Alex Cross Compares To Morgan Freeman
Both Deserve Some Apperciation, But One Is Far More Memorable
Even though the Morgan Freeman movies accurately adapt the original books, Freeman was much older than how Alex Cross is depicted in the source material. While the actor was close to 60 when he played Cross,Alex Cross is in his late 30s in the novels. Since Aldis Hodge is 38 years old, his age and appearance are more in tandem with the original character. While Aldis Hodge’s demeanor and screen presence are enough to capture the character’s brawn, the show focuses on highlighting his intellect by featuring immersive sequences where he is deep in thought.
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In the movies, Freeman’s Cross seems similar to most detectives from the big and small screens as he skims through evidence to find new clues. Hodge’s Cross, in contrast, is portrayed more as a genius who, time and again, sees things through his tunnel vision to uncover intricate details that others might have missed. While both versions of the character have their own appeal, Aldis Hodge’s portrayal of the character in Amazon’sCrossseems far more memorable.
Cross
Cross follows the life of Alex Cross, a skilled yet troubled homicide detective balancing his role as a devoted father and relentless crime investigator. Haunted by his wife’s murder, he navigates personal turmoil while persistently pursuing justice in the face of dangerous adversaries.
Along Came a Spider
Along Came a Spider follows detective and author Alex Cross, who is drawn out of retirement to investigate the kidnapping of a senator’s daughter. Partnered with a Secret Service agent, Cross unravels a complex web of clues revealing the kidnapper’s motives extend beyond ransom.
