'Dr. Death' cast, news: 'The Good Wife' actor Alan Cumming to star in new CBS crime drama from James Patterson

By Daphne Planca / Oct 06, 2016 12:33 PM EDT
(Photo : Getty Images/Maury Phillips) Actor Alan Cumming attended PILOT PEN & GBK's Pre-Emmy Luxury Lounge - Day 2 at L'Ermitage Beverly Hills Hotel on Sept. 17 in Beverly Hills, California.
(Photo : Getty Images/John Sciulli) Actor Alan Cumming attended Chateau Marmont's launch party for Alan Cumming's “You Gotta Get Bigger Dreams” published by Rizzoli at Chateau Marmont on Sept. 20 in Los Angeles, California.
(Photo : Getty Images/Theo Wargo) James Patterson attended the AOL Build Speaker Series - James Patterson, “MasterClass” at AOL Studios In New York on June 8 in New York City.

"The Good Wife" actor Alan Cumming is set to star in CBS crime drama "Dr. Death." He is eyeing a possible return to the network.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cumming will play as a former CIA operative in "Dr. Death." He has built a normal life as a gifted professor and writer. He is pulled back into his old life when the New York Police Department needs his help to stop a serial killer on the loose.

"Dr. Death" is based on the upcoming soon-to-be-published book of the same name that James Patterson co-wrote with Howard Roughan, Deadline reported. The former "Royal Pains" showrunner Michael Rauch will write the script.

Patterson is executive producing "Dr. Death" with Cumming, Rauch, and Alex Kurtzman as well as Kurtzman's producing partner Heather Kadin of Secret Hideout, Bill Robinson and Leopoldo Gout of James Patterson Entertainment. CBS Television Studios is the studio and also produces the adaptation of Patterson's summer drama series "Zoo."

For those who are not aware, Patterson is the world's bestselling writer. He has sold 300 million copies of his 130 novels worldwide and is the first author to sell 10 million e-books. He is represented by CAA and attorney Peter Grossman.

"Dr. Death" would mark the first small-screen role of Tony winner Cumming since "The Good Wife" concluded its run back in May. He earned three Emmy nominations for his role as the intrepid political operative Eli Gold. He has no current plans to appear on CBS All Access' spin-off series that will bow in February 2017.

Cumming will next be seen in "Battle Of The Sexes." He starred in "The L Word" and "Web Therapy." He is repped by CAA, UK's Troika, and Untitled Entertainment.

"Dr. Death" is currently in development in the CBS network. The book will be published by Little, Brown & Co. in February 2017.

Watch the video of Alan Cumming on his sappy songs cabaret show and intimate photography book: