'True Detective' Creator Nic Pizzolatto Quits Robert Downey Jr. Project 'Perry Mason' on HBO
Nic Pizzolatto, the creator of "True Detective," has dropped out of his other project with HBO. The writer and producer was supposed to do "Perry Mason" with Robert Downey Jr. but he will no longer be attached to the series.
Pizzolatto cannot do "Perry Mason" anymore because he is focused on writing the third season of "True Detective," which will star Mahershala Ali on the same cable network. HBO signed on scribes Rolin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald to take charge of the reimagining of "Perry Mason" in Pizzolatto's place.
Jones and Fitzgerald worked together on shows like "Weeds," "Friday Night Lights" and "United States of Tara." Jones also worked for HBO during the run of "Boardwalk Empire."
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Given the changes, there is still no clear word on when "Perry Mason" will premiere on the cable network. It's also not certain if the revival series will bring back characters like Della Street and P.I. Paul Drake. For now, what's confirmed is that the project will move forward with the new writers after stalling for a year.
Perry Mason is a popular fictional criminal lawyer who was created by Erle Stanley Gardner in the 1930s. The author's story spanned 80 novels, radio and feature films.
From the '50s to the '60s, CBS ran the legal drama "Perry Mason" that starred Raymond Burr as the titular character. NBC revived the show as TV movies in the '80s with Burr reprising the role. Paul Sorvino and Hal Holbrook took over as Mason after Burr died in 1993.
In August 2016, HBO announced plans for Downey's return to television with the revival of "Perry Mason" with Pizzolatto. The "Iron Man" actor starred on "Ally McBeal" in the '90s with Calista Flockhart.
Downey and his producer wife Susan planned on doing "Perry Mason" over six years ago when their production outfit, Team Downey, was working to secure the rights to the property. Originally, Downey wanted to do the project as a feature film on the big screen.
