1st look at Tyler Perry as 'Alex Cross'

We never should have reached this point. Somebody should have stepped in. We should be talking about the first images of Idris Elba as James Patterson's famed psychologist/detective, Alex Cross. Instead, we've got Tyler Perry, and while it's probably unfair to judge too much based on these shots, he looks stiff as a cutting board.

A teaser trailer or something is probably right around the corner, since the film is only about five months away from hitting theaters. Perry will play the role made memorable by Morgan Freeman in Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider, in a story that has him facing off against a serial killer known as the Butcher of Sligo.  Ed Burns, Matthew Fox, Jean Reno, Cicely Tyson, and Giancarlo Esposito all co-star, with Rob Cohen(XXX) directing.

Perry tends to do his best business wearing a dress and sporting a mammy attitude in his Madea films, so I have serious doubts whether this will perform well. There's little evidence that Perry's usual fanbase will turn out to see him in something this dark and violent. Certainly, Patteson's version of Alex Cross is younger than Morgan Freeman was, and certainly more of a physical presence, but does Perry really fit that description? On the other hand, Elba is a rising star who has proven to be a hit in practically everything he's been in. Ah well, what's the point in whining about it now? Alex Cross hits theaters on October 26th. Check out the rest of the images below....