'Alex Cross' movie trailer debuts, features Cleveland landmarks, even city hall 'blowing up'

CLEVELAND - Cleveland takes a starring role in an upcoming major studio release.

The movie trailer for “Alex Cross” debuted online and parts of Cleveland are immediately recognizable.

The thriller was filmed in Cleveland in August through October of 2011.

The opening shot of the trailer features the Cleveland skyline and it’s not too hard to spot Tower City and Key Tower.

At 10 seconds into the trailer, popular downtown bar and restaurant XO, located on the corner West 6th Street and St. Clair Avenue, can be recognized as “Alex Cross” star Tyler Perry dines with his wife.

Starting at 1:40, many northeast Ohioans can probably identify some of the downtown Cleveland’s more recognizable streets, including Ontario Avenue, here used for SWAT team stunts and car chases.

At 1:46, the trailer features a shot of a helicopter zooming between downtown buildings. In September, one of the movie’s helicopters reportedly clipped a streetlight pole on St. Clair. No major damage or injuries were reported.

Perhaps the most notable shot of Cleveland comes at 1:54, when a rocket launcher is used to blow up Cleveland City Hall.

The film stars Tyler Perry as Alex Cross, the detective created in James Patterson novels and originally brought to the screen by Morgan Freeman.

The movie also stars Edwards Burns, John C. McGinley, Jean Reno, Rachel Nichols, Cicely Tyson, and former “Lost” star Matthew Fox.

“Alex Cross” did not film in Cleveland without controversy. A Cleveland limo bus driver accused Fox of punching her. She claimed Fox tried to get on her bus after leaving Christie’s strip club on the West Bank of the Flats in August. When she denied him, she said, he hit her repeatedly. A lawsuit was later dropped.

During filming, the movie was referred to as “I, Alex Cross,” but the new title was revealed with the trailer.

“Alex Cross” is rated PG-13 for violence, sexual content, language, and nudity.

As for Cleveland locations where the rest of the movie was shot, northeast Ohioans will have to wait until the movie’s major release in October.

Watch the trailer via the video player above (if on mobile, go to this site: http://on.wews.com/LzDwzN