It must be awesome to be best-selling novelist Patricia Cornwell.
Because as Variety noted, Cornwell, who writes a series of mystery novels with a female medical examiner as the main character, is so protective of Dr. Kay Scarpetta that only after getting to meet Angelina Jolie in person and have discussions about how one would bring the project to life in a screen version would she allow Fox 2000 to acquire the rights to her book series.
The very idea that Cornwell has so much creative control that she can make Angelina Jolie come to her just gives me the shivers, you know?
There are 16 books in the series which screams “Franchise!”, but the article states that the first movie won’t be specifically tied to any one of the movies. It sounds like any movie version would be “inspired by” rather than “based on” and I really don’t know how Cornwell fans would feel about that.
There are also going to be two non-Scarpetta books being made into TV movies for Lifetime (At Risk and The Front), and part of me wishes that Cornwell were so protective of those books that she didn’t sign the contract.
I’m a huge Nora Roberts fan, so when Lifetime recently did showcased four movies based on Roberts’ properties, I was so excited because I’d read two of the books, and the actors were people I thought were okay.
I don’t have DVR so I couldn’t tape the shows, but when I did get to sit down to catch a showing of Midnight Bayou one Saturday, I ended up turning off the TV in disgust.
Here’s hoping the Fox 2000-Angelina Jolie-Kay Scarpetta triad has more success as a live-action movie.
Matt says:
Let’s be serious for a minute here. Cornwell is a horrible author.
Her books are horrible. I’ve tried to read them. I wanted to spoon out my eyes so I could never again attempt such stupidity.
Add to that, that she know she’s some sort of super uber time-travelling detective because of writing these books… She’s a joke.
Jenny says:
I love Patricia Cornwell but don’t think Angelina Jolie should play Scarpetta. She is too young.
Angelina would be good as lucy the niece. I think someone like Glenn Close or Meryl streep would be good….
Kimberly says:
I have been a huge fan of patricia corn well since i can remember she has been my favorite author for years now and I agree with Jenny, Angelina Jolie would be better as Lucy bc of her tough attitude and someone older and more mature as Scarpetta. But i really do hope the movie will be good. I was hoping for more of a movie based on one of her books…like Postmortum that was a very good book to make into a movie…
sue says:
i agree jolie should not be kay-no comparison-steep would be perfect!! matt im just curious, what kind of books do you read??? if you do not normally read medical thrillers then you should have known you would not like cornwell…why would you even pick it up?
sue says:
to correct above meryl streep would be perfect to play kay!
Susanne says:
I just said the very same thing about Jolie and the two better choices this morning, glad to know I am not alone. I thought Meryl Streep would be the most excellent choice for Kay Scarpetta with Angelina playing Lucy.
Bart says:
i think whoever plays the part of scarpetta and lucy ought to be actresses with less famous faces. i’d like to see good characters rather than familiar faces
amyedwards says:
Just thinking that Angelina Jolie is being chosen to portray Scarpetta only makes me realize my dream of seeing Patricia Cornwell's novels brought to life a NIGHTMARE! Jolie is EVERYTHING readers portray Scarpetta. Scarpetta is pictured by Cornwell as being honest, fair, and DECENT. Everything Jolie as a human being IS NOT. PLEASE if anyone cares, BOYCOTT this project. I am soooo disappointed.
myword says:
I just do not see Angelina Jolie as Dr. Scarpetta. She does not even resemble the way Cornwell describes her. In the novels, Kay is medium height, blonde, very busty. Jolie is just so scrawny and shapeless. What a shame! I can't imagine her doing justice to the intense, soul-searching Kay Scarpetta. Jolie is just too shallow of an actor.
Scarpettalover says:
I agree that Angelina Jolie should NOT play Kay Scarpetta. She is nothing like her, from her looks to her personality. Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Sharon Stone, even Ashley Judd would be FAR AND AWAY better choices than Jolie. I love the Kay Scarpetta series but will never watch the movies if Jolie is Scarpetta.
Scarpettalover says:
I agree that Angelina Jolie should NOT play Kay Scarpetta. She is nothing like her, from her looks to her personality. Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Sharon Stone, even Ashley Judd would be FAR AND AWAY better choices than Jolie. I love the Kay Scarpetta series but will never watch the movies if Jolie is Scarpetta.
Scarpettalover says:
I agree that Angelina Jolie should NOT play Kay Scarpetta. She is nothing like her, from her looks to her personality. Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Sharon Stone, even Ashley Judd would be FAR AND AWAY better choices than Jolie. I love the Kay Scarpetta series but will never watch the movies if Jolie is Scarpetta.
Scarpettalover says:
I agree that Angelina Jolie should NOT play Kay Scarpetta. She is nothing like her, from her looks to her personality. Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Sharon Stone, even Ashley Judd would be FAR AND AWAY better choices than Jolie. I love the Kay Scarpetta series but will never watch the movies if Jolie is Scarpetta.
sunzmoonzandstarz says:
u have no taste!