True Detective Renewed at HBO, With Issa López Returning as Showrunner

Dave Nemetz

Well, HBO must be happy with how new writer/director Issa López handled True Detective: The crime anthology has been renewed for a fifth season, TVLine has learned, with López set to return as showrunner. (López has also signed an overall deal with the network.)

Season 4, dubbed True Detective: Night Country and starring Jodie Foster and Kali Reis, wrapped up its six-episode run this week. (Read our season finale recap here.) Night Country has now become the most-watched season of True Detective, per HBO, with 12.7 million viewers across all platforms.

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“Issa López is that one-of-a-kind, rare talent that speaks directly to HBO’s creative spirit,” HBO drama boss Francesca Orsi said in a statement. “She helmed True Detective: Night Country from start to finish, never once faltering from her own commendable vision, and inspiring us with her resilience both on the page and behind the camera. Alongside Jodie and Kali’s impeccable performances, she’s made this installation of the franchise a massive success, we are so lucky to have her as part of our family.”

López added a statement as well: “From conception to release, Night Country has been the most beautiful collaboration and adventure of my entire creative life. HBO trusted my vision all the way, and the idea of bringing to life a new incarnation of True Detective with [HBO boss] Casey [Bloys], Francesca and the whole team is a dream come true. I can’t wait to go again.”

True Detective debuted on HBO in 2014, with each season telling a new story with a new cast. Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson starred in Season 1, with Colin Farrell and Rachel McAdams taking over in Season 2 and Mahershala Ali and Stephen Dorff in Season 3. Nic Pizzolatto created the series and oversaw the first three seasons, but stepped back in Season 4, with López taking over as writer and director.

Pizzolatto has been openly critical of Season 4 on social media, with López responding: “I believe that every storyteller has a very specific, peculiar, and unique relation to the stories they create, and whatever his reactions are, he’s entitled to them. That’s his prerogative. I wrote this with profound love for the work he made and love for the people that loved it.”

Are you excited to get more True Detective? And to have Issa López back at the helm? Hit the comments below to share your thoughts.

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