Nic Pizzolatto Off Robert Downey Jr.’s ‘Perry Mason’ for ‘True Detective’ S3

The surprise resurgence of HBO’s True Detective raised questions of creator Nic Pizzolatto’s involvement, given earlier commitment to Robert Downey Jr.’s proposed Perry Mason update. That project has since added new writers, indicating Pizzolatto is largely off the series, and back on True Detective Season 3 full-time.

Deadline reports that Weeds alum Rolin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald will take over writing duties while the Perry Mason project moves through development, as “Pizzolatto has since focused his attention on True Detective, which is gearing up for a formal third season greenlight.” It was August of last year that Pizzolatto signed to write the new Perry Mason, with Downey eyed to produce and star, based on the same reboot the Avengers lead attempted to get off the ground at Warner Bros.

For those unfamiliar, Perry Mason emerged as fictional criminal defense lawyer as far back as 1933 in novels written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Most notably, Raymond Burr played the character on TV from 1957-1966, reprising the role in tens of TV movies before his death in 1993.

It remains uncertain how involved in True Detective Season 3 Deadwood boss David Milch is, though a greenlight is still expected after the addition of Moonlight Oscar-winner and Luke Cage star Mahershala Ali. That said, which project is better off with Pizzolatto as a guiding hand?