James Patterson rejected seven-figure offer alex cross This is to avoid changing one important detail about your character. Mr. Patterson is the author of a series of more than 30 novels that began in 1993 and follows Alex Cross, an African-American detective and father who confronts threats to his family and the city of Washington, D.C. This series has been made into a movie. several times, including three films in 1997; kiss the girls and in 2001 the spider came Starring Morgan Freeman, 2012 alex cross Starring Tyler Perry – and new on Prime Video cross Series starring Aldis Hodge.
in a recent interview hollywood reporterPatterson revealed he rejected Morgan Freeman’s first seven-figure offer before the movie was released alex cross Book. The author rejected the offer because he wanted to change the character of Alex Cross to a white man.And he refused to whitewash the lead detective. Patterson went on to talk about how the character was inspired by his own experiences with black families in his hometown. Read his full comment below.
Here’s an interesting point about Hollywood Cross. When I wrote the first Alex Cross book, I didn’t have a lot of money, so Hollywood came knocking, knocking, knocking, knocking. They offered a seven-figure amount, but I didn’t have much money. They said: We want Alex to be white. ” And I said, “Fuck.” It hurt, but I did it. So I didn’t sell it right away. But a few years later, Paramount came along and I did some movies with Morgan. One of the pieces here is David Ellison from Skydance. David was involved early on, and then Amazon got involved as well. It was great. And then I met Ben. [Watkins] It was really nice on the way, but obviously Aldis came a little later.
That’s because he wasn’t who he was. I grew up in a small town called Newburgh, New York. My grandparents owned a very small restaurant, and the chef there was Laura, a black woman. She was having problems with her husband. And my family said, “Let’s move in with us.” She lived with us for three or four years. I spent a lot of time with her family and they were wonderful. I liked being with her family more than my family. They were smart, the music was great, the food was great, and I loved playing basketball. Then I watched Hollywood. Back then we had Sidney Poitier. Okay, okay, he was dignified. And I watched a lot of movies starring black people with boomboxes. Really? That was not my experience at Newburgh. So I started writing about this family that I know and the town that I know, and one of the things that Ben and I talked about a lot was that Alex was always the smartest person in the room. It was a thought. And that’s why Morgan Freeman wanted to play him in the first place, because Alex was never Shaft’s type of person to begin with – there’s nothing wrong with Shaft. [but Alex] Solve the riddle in your head.
He was always intended to be a complex black character
James Patterson’s comments indicate: Alex Cross was always intended to be a complex black character. Despite facing financial pressures, the author turned down Hollywood’s initial offer to change Alex Cross to a white character, which delayed the character’s screen adaptation for several years. Ultimately, Paramount produced a film starring Morgan Freeman as Alex Cross. The African-American actor, known for his thoughtful and introspective roles, wanted to portray a black character who had integrity and solved mysteries with intelligence rather than stereotypes.
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Mr. Patterson also shared his personal experience growing up in Newburgh, New York.Inspired the creation of Alex Cross. The author describes his bond with his black family, which helped shape his understanding of black culture, which he felt contrasted with Hollywood’s stereotypical depictions of the time. His creation of Alex Cross reflected that inspiration, portraying the black detective as a highly intelligent and complex character, qualities that ultimately attracted Freeman to the role.
Our take on James Patterson refusing to whitewash Alex Cross
paved the way for future adaptations
James Patterson’s refusal to whitewash Alex Cross in the film version was a pivotal decision that paved the way for a future adaptation starring Tyler Perry and Aldis Hodge. By standing his ground, Patterson protects the integrity of his character as a highly intelligent black detective, opening the door for Morgan Freeman to embody the role and bring depth and nuance to the character on screen. Ta. Freeman’s description alex cross ‘ became an iconic work, providing audiences with an intelligent black hero who solves complex crimes, paving the way for subsequent film adaptations.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
Tyler Perry stars as the titular psychologist and police lieutenant Alex Cross in the film adaptation of James Patterson’s action-thriller novel. The film, which serves as a reboot of the film series, follows a police lieutenant as he considers taking a position with the FBI in order to keep an eye on his wife and unborn child in a less dangerous position. But when tragedy strikes, Cross is forced to dive headfirst into the underworld to track down a serial killer before he murders a prolific businessman in revenge.
- director
- rob coen
- release date
- October 18, 2012
- studio
- lions gate
- distributor
- Summit Entertainment, Lionsgate
- writer
- Mark Moss, Kelly Williamson, James Patterson
- cast
- Rachel Nichols, Tyler Perry, Giancarlo Esposito, Matthew Fox, Jean Reno, Edward Burns
- runtime
- 101 minutes
- budget
- $35 million
