Nicole Kidman is headlining yet another streaming show, and we’ve got the first look at her turn as a literary crime hero!
After decades as an Oscar-winning movie star, Nicole Kidman has swiftly become the go-to lead for streaming TV shows. Big Little Lies, Expats, Nine Perfect Strangers, The Perfect Couple, and Lioness have all been notable series that have made Kidman a more familiar face on the small screen than on the big one.
Now, as if her slate wasn’t packed enough, Kidman will be starring in the upcoming Prime Video thriller series Scarpetta. TVLine shared the first images for the show, as well as revealing its release date of March 11, 2026. The show has already gotten a two-season renewal to prove Prime Video expects it to be a success thanks to Kidman.
For the millions of fans of the book character, seeing her finally coming to TV is going to be a big deal!
The character of Kay Scarpetta was created by crime novelist Patrica Cornwell for the 1990 novel Postmortem. A brilliant criminal pathologist and medical examiner, Kay Scarpetta works as the chief medical examiner for the commonwealth of Virginia, using her expert skills to solve murders. She’s a perfectionist and workaholic, although she balances it with her love of cooking.
The character has been a hit with readers for 35 years with 29 books in the series. There have been several attempts at a TV or movie adaptation, with Prime Video going ahead with this in 2021. It appears the series will take an intriguing turn by unfolding in two timelines, with Kidman as the modern veteran Scarpetta, while flashbacks show the younger Kay (Rose McEwen) just starting her career.
“Scarpetta is a chilling crime thriller that unfolds across two timelines. The dual narrative explores Kay Scarpetta’s journey from her beginnings as a chief medical examiner in the late ’90s to her present-day return to her hometown, where she resumes her former position while investigating a grisly murder. As Scarpetta pursues justice, she must navigate complicated relationships, including the fraught dynamic with her sister Dorothy Farinelli, confront long-held professional and personal grudges, and face secrets that threaten to unravel everything she’s built. 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. Set against the backdrop of modern forensic investigation, the series delves beyond the crime scene to explore the psychological complexities of both perpetrators and investigators, creating a multi-layered thriller that examines the toll of pursuing justice at all costs.”
Besides Kidman and McEwen, Jamie Lee Curtis plays Kay’s sister Dorothy (Amanda Righetti plays the younger version in flashbacks), Bobby Cannavale as Detective Pete Marino (in a fun touch, Cannavale’s real-life son Jake plays the younger Pete), Simon Baker as FBI profiler Benton Wesley (Hunter Parrish is the younger Benton), and Ariana DeBose as Kay’s niece Lucy Watson. Also in the cast are Janet Montgomery as Lucy’s wife and Sosie Bacon as reporter Abby Turnhall.
It sounds like the series will play around a bit with some episodes perhaps adapting aspects of the books while mixing in original tales. It’s also intriguing how the series will show forensic work changing from the early 1990s to today and how Scarpetta herself evolves.
For fans of the novels, this should be a blast. They’ll get to see both the rookie and veteran versions of Kay and how the job has transformed her. The supporting cast is just as amazing, and Kidman does seem set to bring her own amazing acting skills to the tale. That makes Scarpetta another great crime drama to check out on Prime Video and yet another entry in Kidman’s long list of hit shows!
Scarpetta debuts March 11, 2026 on Prime Video.