Prime Video has released the first-look images from ‘Scarpetta,’ the upcoming forensic crime thriller based on Patricia Cornwell’s globally bestselling Kay Scarpetta book series, developed and written for television by Liz Sarnoff.
With more than 120 million copies sold worldwide since the character’s first appearance in 1990, the adaptation arrives as one of the most anticipated crime series in recent memory — marking the moment fans have waited decades to see as the brilliant forensic pathologist finally makes her journey from page to screen.
‘Scarpetta’ will premiere on 11th March 2026, exclusively on Prime Video.
The newly released images offer audiences their first glimpse of the all-star cast led by Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman (Expats) as Dr. Kay Scarpetta, a medical examiner driven by precision, instinct, and a fierce willingness to stand as the voice of the victims. Set in the present day — with roots reaching back to the late ’90s — the series sees Scarpetta determined to unmask a serial killer while wrestling with the haunting possibility that the career-defining case from 28 years earlier may rise again, not as her triumph, but as her greatest threat.
The images show Kay back in her forensic lab environment, her eyes steady and a scalpel in hand, surrounded by both cutting-edge technology and mounting pressure. Another first-look still teases the intense emotional core of the story: Kay’s fraught relationship with her sister Dorothy Farinelli, played by Academy Award winner Jamie Lee Curtis (The Bear, The Bear). Curtis appears icy, poised, and edged with past conflict — a powerful embodiment of unresolved family rupture and personal agendas that may complicate or destabilise Kay’s return to her hometown and her former position as Chief Medical Examiner.
From Emmy-nominated and award-winning creative Liz Sarnoff — known for Barry and Lost — Scarpetta unfolds across two timelines, weaving together the early career of Chief Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta in the late ’90s with her present-day professional resurrection, sparked by a grisly murder investigation that pulls old secrets back to the surface. As Kay chases justice, she must contend with professional grudges, personal betrayals, and long-held resentments, including those that are deeply rooted in the volatile Scarpetta family dynamics.
Also in news – Scarlett Johansson boards the next chapter of The Exorcist universe for Mike Flanagan
Additional character-focused images introduce the rest of the ensemble, including:
-
Emmy winner Bobby Cannavale (Barry, Boardwalk Empire) as Detective Benton Wesley
-
Emmy nominee Simon Baker (The Mentalist) as FBI profiler Benton Wesley
-
Emmy winner Bobby Cannavale (The Offer) as Detective Pete Marino
-
Academy Award winner Ariana DeBose (West Side Story) as Kay’s tech-savvy niece Lucy Watson
-
Ariana’s niece, Lucy Watson, showcases digital screens, cyber-forensics, and next-gen investigative tools in a bold contrast to the analogue world of Scarpetta’s 90s beginnings.
Rounding out the dual-narrative structure, the past versions of Kay’s team and family are brought to life by an equally skilled cast:
-
Rosy McEwen (Blue Jean) as the younger Kay Scarpetta
-
Amanda Righetti (The Mentalist) as the past Dorothy Farinelli
-
Jake Cannavale (The Offer) as the early Pete Wesley
-
Hunter Parrish (Weeds) as the younger Benton Wesley
