Angelina Jolie Will Wield Kay Scarpetta's Scalpel
Filed under: Action, Drama, Thrillers, Casting, Deals, Mystery & Suspense, Sony, Scripts, 20th Century Fox, Newsstand, Angelina Jolie
It's a strange thing to live in a world where Dan Brown became a franchise before Patricia Cornwell. The rights to the Dr. Kay Scarpetta series have been languishing at Columbia (the very home of Robert Langdon) since 1992, but now the series has been dusted off, sold to Fox 2000, and assigned to Angelina Jolie.According to Variety, Fox has won rights to all 16 of the Scarpetta books, and is eying it as a potential franchise along the lines of the Jason Bourne films. They're developing the first thriller now, which won't be tied to any one book, but will probably cherry-pick out of all Scarpetta's gruesome cases. The plan has met with approval from Cornwell, who discussed the idea personally with Jolie and her manager, Geyer Kosinski before handing over the rights.
I'm not an avid reader of Cornwell's books, but Jolie seems like a good fit for the sophisticated Scarpetta. While the coloring's different, Scarpetta's a workaholic who dresses well, drives a Mercedes, attracts handsome guys, and handmakes Italian food. She's kind of perfect, just like Jolie. But hardcore fans (and I know they're out there) may have other ideas.
Regardless of what you might think of the casting, I think it's pretty cool that we may get a female-led franchise, and one based around the cool, rational science of forensic pathology. It's the closest thing to a Bones movie that I'll ever get, so I'm all for it.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-22-2009 @ 2:13PM
Al said...
Here's an interesting tidbit I read I think in Vanity Fair a few years back. Cromwell wanted Jodie Foster to play Scarpetta. The two met to discuss it which ended up with Cromwell becoming uh infatuated with Foster (what is it about her anyway). The whole thing resulted in Foster not signing onto the project and she ended up obtaining a restraining order against Cromwell.
OT: I never liked these books, but hopefully they can turn out a decent franchise.
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4-22-2009 @ 2:21PM
Jimmy said...
I was an avid Scapetta reader for many years but the stories started to get unoriginal and there were better books out there dealing with the same subject. I think Jolie will be great in the role. It will be interesting to see how they pull this off. The first book in the series, Postmortem, was BORING. The next three books -- Body of Evidence (also the name of an unfortunate Madonna/Willem Dafoe movie), All That Remains, and Cruel & Unusual -- are among the best of the early books. That group would make an excellent trilogy of movies.
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4-22-2009 @ 2:36PM
Brad said...
I always envisioned Gillian Anderson (Dana Scully) from X-files as Dr. Kay Scarpetta... oh well.
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5-17-2009 @ 7:47PM
Connie said...
Me too! I thought she would be perfect. I know she doesn't have the fame as AJ, but I really don't care. I have been envisioning her for YEARS as I read the Scarpetta books. I can't really see AJ in this role. I've been wrong before...
4-23-2009 @ 12:34AM
Jemma said...
I think Jolie is perfect for the role. She's a strong intelligent woman who not only survives but thrives in a man's world just like Kay Scarpetta.
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4-23-2009 @ 1:07PM
Sonia said...
The only one who should play her is, Ashley Judd ...
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5-28-2009 @ 10:37AM
Mary Ann said...
Sonia - I couldn't agree more with your choice of Ashley Judd. She would have been "perfect"!!!!
4-24-2009 @ 1:05PM
Tna said...
"Jolie seems like a good fit for the sophisticated Scarpetta"
I couldn't disagree more She is exactly the opposite of Kay; coloring not with standing.Kay Scarpetta is not a kick-ass, big-lipped, seductress. She is intelligent and classy; two things I have NEVER associated with A.J. If she does indeed take this role, I along with all of my friends will be boycotting a movie that we have been waiting years to see. Hollywood needs to get over their obsession with this woman and move onto someone with some talent other than buffing up her body and shooting guns.
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5-20-2009 @ 1:59PM
Kelly said...
I agree that Jodie Foster would be great in the role of Scarpetta - I am really struggling to see Angelina Jolie bringing this to life for me. That said the books have become very filmic in the set up & the way they are written in the last few, so you never know we could be in for a Bone Collector type performance from AJ .... ?
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5-21-2009 @ 8:38PM
pdd3517 said...
Jolie is not right for this. She is too robotic to play Scarpetta. I agree with either Gillian Anderson or Jodie Foster, also any thoughts on Charlize Theron?
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5-27-2009 @ 6:33PM
Chris said...
I had never thought of Jodie Foster but sounds better than Angelina who I see as more of the Lucy character. I always pictured Kristin Scott Thomas as Scarpetta.
I was always fascinated with the Temple Gault & Carrie Grethen villains too! I will definitely check the film versions out. Who knows, she just might pull it off. I sure hope so.
7-06-2009 @ 11:18PM
Monet said...
I always pictured Jill hennessy (Crossing Jordan) but love the idea of Ashley Judd!
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