James Patterson's Legal Thriller Adaptation Casts Oscar Winner In Leading Role (2024)

Two-time Oscar winner Renée Zellweger is set to an adaptation of a James Patterson legal thriller. Known for her roles in the Bridget Jones movies, Chicago, and Jerry Maguire, in addition to her Oscar-winning performances in Cold Mountain and Judy, Zellweger has led a few miniseries in recent years. That includes Netflix's thriller What/If in 2019 and the true crime drama The Thing About Pam in 2022.

According to TheWrap, Zellweger will lead the TV adaptation of 12 Lives to Live by authors Patterson and Mike Lupica. Set for the Max streaming service, with the new title of Jane Smith, the project focuses on Zellweger's defense attorney character who resides in the Hamptons and is described as “brilliant, tough, and darkly funny.” It hails from Skydance Television, one of the studios behind the Reacher adaptation, and MGM Television.

What's The Plot Of Renée Zellweger's New James Patterson Series?

It Could Be A Plum TV Role For The Oscar Winner

The official logline of Jane Smith sets up a juicy role for the experienced actor, which sees the strong, driven title character visited by tragedy at a pivotal moment in her career. While Zellweger's movie career has seen her play award-winning parts, this seems at first glance like a project that might find her in Emmy contention. Check the synopsis out below:

Up to this point, Jane has only cared about winning; however, her world is completely turned upside down when, on the eve of the biggest case of her career, she is diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor. While the investigation becomes more dangerous and deeply personal, Jane refuses to let her death sentence stop her from solving this case.

The project will see Ozark and Ray Donovan writer Micki Johnson serve as showrunner. Johnson, Zellweger, and Carmella Casinelli will serve as executive producers for Big Picture Co., with Patterson and Big Little Lies creator David E. Kelley also serving as executive producers. Jane Smith comes after Patterson signed a first-look deal with Skydance TV in March to develop shows based on his novels.

That deal has already spawned planned adaptations of Women's Murder Club, Michael Bennett, and Private. Patterson also has the Alex Cross adaptation, led by Aldis Hodge, which will premiere on Prime Video. It's an exciting time for fans of the author, and this marks an overall intriguing project, considering the talent involved in Jane Smith and the studios behind it.

What To Know About James Patterson's Other Upcoming TV Adaptations

Several Shows Could Be On The Way

Beginning with Prime Video's Cross, which is already renewed for season 2, the story follows the titular detective and forensic psychologist. Alex Cross is uniquely capable of digging into the psyches of killers and their victims, a strategy that ultimately helps him capture the criminal. The cast includes New Amsterdam lead Ryan Eggold, Shadowhunters alum Isaiah Mustafa, Supernatural's Alona Tal, and Chicago Fire's Eloise Mumford. Cross also executive produces the series, along with Patterson, and all eight episodes will be released on November 14.

At this point, not much is known about the other projects other than the titles themselves. The development deal was announced in March 2023, and specifically mentioned Women's Murder Club, Michael Bennett, and the international best-seller Private. Already adapted twice, a potential new version of Women's Murder Club was reported in 2015. The story centers on a group of women from different professions as they investigate crime and solve murders. As for Michael Bennett, it focuses on the popular detective character while he raises ten adopted children. Though the series has been considered for an adaptation in the past, none have moved forward so far.

Private, meanwhile, revolves around a high-end private investigation agency that's headed by former CIA agent Jack Morgan. The agency has offices around the world, a highly experienced staff, and cutting-edge forensic technology, and they deal with a variety of cases. At this point, these planned adaptations have not been assigned a platform, crew, or cast. But it's worth noting that Jane Smith was initially mentioned as part of the Skydance deal. Given that the project is now moving forward, with some top-level casting and one of the main streaming services, there's reason to be optimistic that other potential projects aren't too far behind.

Source: TheWrap