There's no shortage of detective shows, but some certainly stand out from the rest. Prime Video’s Cross, for instance, is one of them. The thriller TV series, based on James Patterson’s popular series of mystery-thriller novels, stars Aldis Hodge as the titular Alex Cross, a Washington, D.C.-based homicide detective and forensic psychologist who delves into the minds of serial killers to track them down.
In season 2, Cross is in pursuit of a mysterious, ruthless vigilante who is hunting down corrupt billionaires. The sophomore installment ran throughout winter 2026, leading up to a propulsive finale. While fans got to watch all of the season’s twists and turns unfold, there’s still one more mystery to solve: will Cross return to crack another case? Read on for all the clues we have about Cross season 3.
Everything We Know About 'Cross' Season 3
Alex Cross (Aldis Hodge) and Kayla Craig (Alona Tal) piecing together the clues in season 2.
Is 'Cross' renewed for season 3?
Get ready for some more covert action because Cross has officially been renewed for season 3. Prime Video confirmed the renewal via a press release when the season 2 finale aired in mid-March.
To celebrate, Peter Friedlander, Head of Global Television, Amazon MGM Studios, shared a statement about the forthcoming eight-episode installment. “From the beginning, Cross has captivated audiences with its layered characters, pulse-pounding suspense, and emotionally grounded storytelling,” he said. “Aldis has delivered a definitive portrayal of Alex Cross, anchoring the series with depth, intelligence, and heart. We’re thrilled to continue this journey with Ben, our collaborators at Paramount Television Studios, and the rest of the incredible cast to bring even more of James Patterson’s iconic world to our global Prime Video audience.”
The thriller has been a runaway hit for the streamer: Season 2 immediately became one of the Top 10 most-watched shows on Prime, upon its winter 2026 release, and season 1 was its third most-watched show in 2025.
What’s more? Creator Ben Watkins told The Hollywood Reporter in 2024 that he has already thought through four seasons of the show. “We want this thing to go for 10 seasons, but in my head, I had already made a four-year plan, and it’s based on some things that I want to do to mine and pay homage to the characters that are in the Alex Cross book series,” he said. “Even though I’m doing new stories, I want at some point for there to be a dovetail between these characters, so I’ve been planting these seeds.”
We’re looking forward to seeing those seeds grow with season 3!
Cross will continue to be inspired by the James Patterson book series.
When will 'Cross' season 3 come out?
A release date hasn’t been announced for Cross season 3, but filming is underway. According to a Deadline casting report (more on that below), shooting started in mid-April. And based on comments from author Patterson in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, it seems as though the scripts were written even before season 2 hit the air. So, if production goes smoothly and runs through the summer, it's possible new episodes could arrive in the first half of 2027.
That would be aligned with the show's typical release schedule. Cross season 1 debuted in November 2024 and season 2 aired between February and March 2026, meaning there was a little more than a year between them. If that schedule holds between season 2 and season 3, we could be looking at a summer 2027 release.
It's likely that most of the main cast, including Elle (Samantha Walkes), will return for season 3.
What will happen in 'Cross' season 3?
It’s too early to say, but the first two seasons have not been adapted from specific Alex Cross books; instead, as Hodge explained in a 2024 interview with TV Insider, the series is “based on the foundation of Alex Cross” and uses Patterson’s novels as a “bone structure.” So while we can’t point to any one specific book for ideas about what’s to come, we can expect to continue seeing the source material and its characters being fleshed out on screen.
In this season, Cross and co. are tasked with investigating threats against a business mogul (Matthew Lillard), after he’s sent two severed fingers in the mail. But he’s not being targeted by your average serial killer (if there is such a thing): rather, a woman (Jeanine Mason) and her associate (Wes Chatham) are hunting down wealthy, powerful, and corrupt individuals to deliver justice for their crimes. She’s driven by vengeance: Her targets all have ties to her mother’s murder after she tried to expose a human trafficking ring running under Durand’s watch.
There were more than a few twists by the end of the season, especially as the vigilante killer, Rebecca Luz, learned her aunt’s (Michelle C. Bonilla) connection to the corrupt operations and her mother’s death. While, before her death, Luz tasked Cross with exposing the trafficking ring involving billionaires and high-powered politicians that she was trying to take down, his plans are thwarted by the FBI. Still, he’s able to tell a senator, who takes the information public—but seeing the government’s willingness to cover up such heinous crimes, Cross turns in his badge.
There’s no doubt that Cross will continue to fight for justice—we’ll just have to wait and see how he plans to do so going forward, and what case he feels compelled to pursue. Hodge spoke to this in a conversation with TV Insider. He said, “I think Cross made an intentional choice, not necessarily to give up, but to walk away from a system that he could not fix…He still, in his mind, represents what he thinks justice is. He’s going to find a different route to represent said justice.”
While the series doesn’t directly adapt the books, as TV Insider points out, Cross returns to working at a private psychology practice after leaving the FBI in the novels—but eventually returns to D.C. as a consultant on various cases. So, we’d bet that will unfold in season 3.
While Alex may have left the FBI, we suspect he'll be roped into working with his colleagues, like Kayla, again.
Who in the 'Cross' cast will be back for season 3?
Cross will, of course, continue to star Aldis Hodge as Alex Cross, even if he faces an uncertain future after turning in his gun and badge because he’s fed up with working within a broken system. As we said, we can assume that inevitably he’ll begin pursuing justice on his own terms.
Similarly, we would likely expect to see returning cast members like Isaiah Mustafa (John Sampson), Juanita Jennings (Regina “Nana Mama” Cross), Caleb Elijah (Damon Cross), Melody Hurd (Janelle Cross), Samantha Walkes (Elle Monteiro), Alona Tal (Kayla Craig), and Johnny Ray Gill (Bobby Trey Abellard).
And what about season 2’s newcomers? Donnie (Wes Chatham) did not survive this season: He was killed by Luz’s Aunt Clare (Michelle C. Bonilla) to hide her own involvement in the case, which included setting up Luz’s mother to be murdered.
But it remains to be seen if we’ll get more of Lance Durand (Matthew Lillard) in a potential next season: It almost seems like he’ll get away with all the crimes he committed because of his wealth and powerful ties, until they’re all publicly exposed by Sen. Ashford (Josh Peck) using evidence given to Alex by Liz (Mason). And speaking of Rebecca…while she’s presumably dead after jumping off a dam to avoid capture, there’s always a chance she survived, and we could see more of the character going forward.
While Rebecca Luz (Jeanine Mason) is unlikely to return in season 2, new characters will certainly be introduced.
Are there any new cast members joining 'Cross' season 3?
This is one of the best things about a detective series: There are always new cases to solve, which means new victims, new suspects, new witnesses, and new experts. Fans received the first hint of one of those in April 2026 when Deadline confirmed the first new cast member in season 3. According to the outlet, Ethan Embry, a former heartthrob known for starring in beloved '90s and '00s movies like That Thing You Do, Can't Hardly Wait, Empire Records, as well as more recent TV shows like Grace and Frankie, has joined the ensemble.
We also know who he'll be playing. Embry stars as Frederick, "a charismatic sobriety coach known for leading with tough love. Strong, resilient, and generous with his time, he is widely admired for making others feel seen."
In July, another major casting announcement followed. Former Head of the Class star Robin Givens is among the new recurring stars. The actress (who also appeared in shows like Batwoman, Harlem, and Riverdale) will play "intellectual conservative" Senator Mulrooney. According to Deadline, the character is "overbearing both as a parent and a partner. She is the wife of a doctor and the mother of a son, whose problems the Senator keeps a closely guarded secret." Intriguing!
Other newcomers include longtime action/voice actor Ron Perlman (Hellboy, Sons of Anarchy), who will play a cop who's referred to seeing Cross after several work-related incidents. According to Deadline, he's described as "a cop first and everything else second," and there might be more to him than meets the eye. "As Cross digs deeper, he realizes Zamora may be concealing something far more troubling than PTSD," according to the outlet.
Curtis Lum (Siren, Prison Break), meanwhile, joins in a guest role as F.W. Jung. The character description doesn't reveal much about the plot, but it sounds like F.W. may be a fixer of sorts: "Jung provides discreet, ever-changing services for powerful clients, solving problems with meticulous planning and quiet efficiency. Pragmatic and unemotional, Jung views every situation as a problem to be resolved. By the time he speaks, the outcome is already in motion."
We'll have to wait and see how the new cast members (A.K.A. potential suspects) fit into the Cross universe. Right now, there are so many possibilities, but concrete evidence will present itself soon enough.