Amazon just unveiled its biggest streaming bet for 2026: 'Scarpetta,' a crime thriller starring Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis as feuding sisters. The eight-episode series, premiering March 11 on Prime Video, marks Amazon's latest push into premium literary adaptations as streaming wars intensify.
Amazon is betting big on star power and literary pedigree with its latest Prime Video original. The streamer announced 'Scarpetta,' an eight-episode crime thriller starring Academy Award winners Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis, will premiere March 11, 2026, in over 240 countries worldwide.
Based on Patricia Cornwell's bestselling novel series, the show follows legendary forensic pathologist Dr. Kay Scarpetta (Kidman) across two timelines - from her early days as Chief Medical Examiner in the late 1990s to her present-day return home to investigate a grisly murder. Curtis plays her estranged sister Dorothy, setting up what promises to be a complex family dynamic at the heart of the procedural.
The casting represents a major coup for Amazon, bringing together two powerhouse performers who also serve as executive producers. Kidman's recent streaming success with HBO's 'Big Little Lies' and Prime Video's 'Expats' has made her one of the most sought-after names in prestige television, while Curtis continues riding high from her Oscar-winning performance in 'Everything Everywhere All at Once.'
Emmy-nominated writer Liz Sarnoff, known for her work on 'Barry' and 'Lost,' leads the creative team as executive producer and showrunner. The production also brings in horror heavyweight Jason Blum through Blumhouse Television, suggesting the series will lean into the psychological thriller elements that made Cornwell's books bestsellers.
The supporting cast reads like a prestige TV dream team: Bobby Cannavale ('Boardwalk Empire'), Simon Baker ('The Mentalist'), and Tony Award winner Ariana DeBose ('West Side Story'). The dual timeline structure allows for younger versions of key characters, with Rosy McEwen, Amanda Righetti, Jake Cannavale, and Hunter Parrish filling those roles.
'Scarpetta' arrives as Amazon doubles down on premium content to compete with Netflix and Apple TV+. The company has already scored major wins with 'The Boys,' 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,' and 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.' Adding a high-profile procedural with A-list talent fills a gap in Amazon's content portfolio, particularly in the crime drama space that's proven reliable for broadcast networks.
The timing also capitalizes on the continued popularity of true crime and forensic procedurals across streaming platforms. Shows like Netflix's 'Mindhunter' and 'Dahmer' have proven there's substantial audience appetite for psychological crime stories, while procedurals remain some of the most-watched content on traditional television.
