James Patterson’s fan-favorite detective is again with Cross season 2, and his caseload is about to get loads darker. Developed and showrun by Ben Watkins, the Prime Video present takes a considerably looser strategy to adapting its supply materials, that includes components of Patterson’s 34-novel collection, whereas largely telling unique tales and that includes a handful of novel characters, together with Detective John Sampson.
Cross season 2 picks up someday after the occasions of season 1, with the titular detective now turning his consideration to monitoring down a ruthless vigilante who’s searching down and killing corrupt billionaire magnates. This not solely places him within the path of Matthew Lillard’s currently-unnamed character, but additionally taking place a darkish spiral resulting in a mysterious group with information of his previous.
Leverage vet Aldis Hodge returns to guide the Cross season 2 solid because the titular detective alongside fellow returning stars Isaiah Mustafa as Sampson, Alona Tal, Samantha Walkes, Juanita Jennings, Caleb Elijah, Melody Hurd and Johnny Ray Gill. Along with Lillard, the brand new season may even introduce Add‘s Jeanine Mason and The Expanse‘s Wes Chatham in at the moment unknown roles.
In honor of the present’s New York Comedian Con 2025 presence, ScreenRant hosted Ben Watkins, Aldis Hodge, Isaiah Mustafa, Sam Walkes, Alona Tal, Wes Chatham and Matthew Lillard in our media suite to speak Cross season 2. The creator and returning stars opened up about how the brand new season is evolving their characters, significantly because it proves to be one in all Alex’s darkest circumstances but, whereas the brand new stars talked about becoming a member of the well-received crime thriller.
Cross Season 2’s Darkish Story “Cuts Deep” For Alex And His Group
Whereas story particulars are nonetheless largely beneath wraps from the season, the primary season 2 teaser trailer has already showcased the way it could have a distinct feeling from Cross season 1. With a brighter colour palette and intense set items for the titular detective, Ben Watkins appears to be like to have developed the present in a wide range of methods.
One factor that hasn’t modified, nevertheless, is Alex having to search out yet one more brutal killer after efficiently taking down Ed Ramsay in Cross season 1’s ending. The brighter colour palette additionally appears to be like to come back in time with a change in season for the present, with season 1 going down in a wintry setting, whereas season 2 seems to be within the warmth of the summer season, and after Alex started going to remedy to correctly course of his spouse’s homicide.
However with out spoiling secrets and techniques, I am very excited to see the surprising twists and turns within the dynamic of individuals’s relationships.
Nevertheless, regardless of some potential progress being made in his day without work the air, Hodge partially jokes that Cross is “most likely gonna want some extra remedy” after season 2. Holding mum on the precise the explanation why, the star/govt producer praises the best way the present continues to evolve the relationships at its coronary heart, together with “completely different areas of relationships that we weren’t even able to go down” in season 1.
“Sampson has his personal journey. We acquired Elle, and he or she has a distinct journey, and we get to fill out the world a little bit bit extra,” Hodge teased. “So, it is a large continuation of the place we left off, however we get so invested of their lives, and we do not drop something. We type of decide up the place we left off, and we hold individuals pushing.“
Even whereas Sampson typically sticks with Alex by way of even the thickest of emotional hurdles, Mustafa does tease that season 2 “cuts deep” for the 2 characters. Assuring that the season picks up “proper the place it left off“, the Cross star says audiences will get to see “how tight these two are” and the significance of “sure individuals [having] to assist sure individuals out“.
Earlier than closing it out, although, Mustafa laughs as he says the rest stated would threat getting into spoiler territory for the brand new season. Hodge concurred, whereas giving a quick tease that there “is one other second the place we would have some belief points happening“, leaving us with a touch that “possibly, possibly not, we come again collectively as boys“.
Tal & Watkins Are Nonetheless Not Prepared To Speak THAT Main E-book Villain Concept
Previous to season 1’s launch, one of many greatest speaking factors round Prime Video’s Cross was Alona Tal’s character, FBI agent Kayla Craig, who comes aboard Alex’s investigation into Ramsey. Followers of Patterson’s novels instantly drew a parallel between Tal’s character’s identify and that of Kyle Craig, who began as an FBI agent and shut good friend to Alex earlier than ultimately being revealed to be a grasp prison.
Throughout season 1’s press tour, Tal regularly dodged questions on this concept. This felt all of the extra potential when the primary Cross season ended revealing Kayla assembly with Johnny Ray Gill’s Bobby Trey, an affiliate of Ramsey’s, and providing him a deal for full immunity in trade for turning over proof of at the very least six of Ramsey’s murders.
She additional requested for all of Ramsey’s blackmail materials on the elite society he regularly met with in personal video calls and hosted at his home, in trade for a hefty sum paid to Trey. Nevertheless, even because the character appears poised for one thing darker, Tal laughs as she admits “nothing has modified” in what she will truly talk about about Kayla’s motivations and actions, joking “I can simply discuss my gender” when introduced with the idea that the present has gender-swapped the character.
Watkins would chime in shortly after to indicate that the present has “stayed away from the tales of the books whereas simply taking the characters and the world“, due to this fact leaving the door open for Kayla to be her personal character. The showrunner does denote, nevertheless, that his Cross staff “actually [tries] to pay homage to the books” with references and “characters who’re impressed by characters from the books“.
He subsequently acknowledged that the writers room is “having some enjoyable with planing the seed of a personality” guide followers will acknowledge, which is able to “begin making a street in the direction of some actually enjoyable stuff that we are able to look ahead to in future seasons“.
“That was one thing that I deliberate proper off from the beginning, as quickly as I noticed, ‘Hey, I am not going to do the unique tales, I am not going to do Alongside Got here A Spider, I am not going to do Kiss the Women, however I need to have the ability to give one thing to the unique guide followers’,” Watkins stated. “So, we began planting these seeds early, and we put it within the pilot, and will probably be blossoming someday quickly.“
Tal would concur with a honest reply, acknowledging that the solid, as a lot because the creators “are conscious of the books“, and need to keep true to their spirits. Nevertheless, she goes on to level out the “magnificence of getting proficient actors and proficient writers“, wherein they’ll all “collaborate and produce one thing contemporary and new” to the world of Cross.
“I feel that is what individuals will have the ability to see, that seed that he planted a possibly,” Tal teased. “Is it a notion of one thing that you understand and are conversant in, however one thing utterly new and refreshing?“
Cross Season 2’s Obvious Villains Could Be Extra Than Meets The Eye
Because the present continues to construct on the dynamics and arcs arrange in its debut, Cross season 2 can be increasing its roster with Lillard and Chatham. Although the precise particulars of their characters are being stored near the vest, with the latter even joking he needed to “watch out what I say” within the interview, the trailer does make it clear the Expanse alum is likely one of the two vigilantes concentrating on corrupt billionaires, whereas the horror icon is one such billionaire.
For Chatham, one of many large issues he and Watkins mentioned early into creating his character was a want to discover individuals who have “utterly completely different social financial backgrounds, come from completely different locations” and subsequently “unite on a standard trigger“, thus turning into household.
The opposite individual Chatham is related to within the season is that of Jeanine Mason’s Luz, with whom he recollects attending to “actually construct this relationship over time” and contact on the “emotional motivation” of their vigilantism stemming from “any person that deeply wronged us prior to now“.
Joking that his character is “the intercourse image of season 2“, Lillard praises Watkins for giving him a “full-bodied character” in his billionaire determine who’s “out to avoid wasting the world“. When questioned about whether or not he is honest about his motivations, Lillard is fast to quip “I’ve by no means performed a nasty man in my whole life“, calling his Cross character an instance of “a man that is actually attempting to do one of the best for the world“, sneaking in “like all billionaires“.
“Having stepped on set because the present was popping out, attending to know the world, attending to know the tradition we have been getting into, it was only a complete pleasure as an actor,” Lillard warmly expressed. “These actors are unimaginable, and to share the house, it was an superior method to spend the season.“
What Else We Realized From The Group About Cross Season 2 & Past
ScreenRant: Matthew and Wes, how has it felt to affix the Cross household?
Matthew Lillard: It has been horrible. No person welcomes us. They’re impolite and delightful, so that you simply really feel ugly and unwelcome.
Wes Chatham: And all people’s tall, all people’s, I am like, “Man, I’m brief, unattractive.” [Laughs]
Matthew Lillard: It is wonderful to step into extremely profitable present with a storyteller that’s on the prime of the sport proper now. As an actor, it is all you dream about, to be related to one of the best, and right here we’re, so it is a privilege.
Wes Chatham: Yeah, I really feel the identical manner. I used to be fortunate sufficient to work with Ben on a present a very long time in the past, and I acquired to know him, and the vitality and the camaraderie and the family-like relationship on set is at all times the identical on all his units. And Aldis was actually welcoming approaching. Isaiah, not a lot. [Laughs]
ScreenRant: Sam, to speak about Elle a little bit bit right here. Elle was with Alex all through his trauma all through season 1, and he or she was clearly confirmed unsuitable about Ed Ramsey, which I am certain did not make issues any simpler for the 2. How has your characters’ dynamic modified going into season 2?
Sam Watkins: I feel what’s on the forefront of her thoughts additionally stays the identical. It is the well being and wellness of the connection, and that we do not sacrifice simply because we love one another. I feel a lot in TV and movie, we romanticize the concepts of affection and falling in love and staying in love, and the trauma and tribulations of relationships. And we generally neglect that trendy love, actual love, is definitely this. It is truly preventing for what’s wholesome. What’s the healthiest model of ourselves? So, that’s what Elle retains pushing by way of in season 2.
Matthew Lillard: We have to broadcast that to the world!
ScreenRant: The final time I used to be interviewing you in a room like this was at SXSW for The Dutchman, and one of many stuff you stated that weekend was individuals have been praising your iteration of Hawkman from Black Adam a pair years in the past, asking if there have been any future plans? And also you stated, “Nicely, possibly in one other universe there shall be hope.” I need to get some clarification. There’s that different universe, within the DC world, are there Marvel roles you’ve got your eye on. You ever assume you will placed on a cape once more?
Aldis Hodge: That is above my pay grade. You gonna have to speak to them. Clearly, if that was one thing that got here again round, yeah. I do know for Hawkman, we undoubtedly truly had plans for that, however plans modified, nevertheless it relies upon if the story is true, the timing proper. Personally, I grew up an enormous fan of graphic novels, superheroes, all that type of stuff. 9B Collective, sure, we design superheroes. So if it was one thing that got here round that felt proper, completely, however I am additionally blissful kicking it out right here, being a fan.
We stopped on the unsuitable flooring, I noticed an entire bunch of anime, and I used to be about to go, as a result of we stopped on the unsuitable flooring. I blame Samantha, as a result of she was like, “Mmm, popcorn,” and we stopped on the ground to get popcorn. I noticed the ground, I used to be like, “Oh, however do we’ve got to work? As a result of I gotta go.” So I am a fan, man, however yeah, if one thing got here round that was proper, certain, as a result of it’s enjoyable. And for me, whenever you do it good, and the followers hit you with that love, that is a distinct type of relationship, that is a distinct type of expertise, and it is wonderful. However like I stated, it ain’t as much as me. You need to speak to some guys.
ScreenRant: Matthew, Daredevil: Born Once more season 2, Scream 7, Cross season 2. How are you preserving all these secrets and techniques?
Matthew Lillard: 5 Nights 2. Yeah, I’m not that good. I am a little bit like a housefly, my thoughts solely lasts for twenty-four hours. It is tremendous enjoyable to be related to these franchises. It is all you dream about as an actor. You need to be within the fellowship of nice storytellers, and yeah, it is a privilege to be part of them.
Cross season 2’s first three episodes premiere on February 11, adopted by new episodes each Wednesday on Prime Video.
- Launch Date
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November 14, 2024
- Administrators
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Craig Siebels, Nzingha Stewart
- Writers
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Ben Watkins
- Franchise(s)
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Alex Cross
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Isaiah Mustafa
John Sampson
