‘True Detective’ Secures Season 5 Renewal with Creator Issa López Returning in HBO’s Latest Overall Deal
In a thrilling development, HBO has officially greenlit Season 5 of the acclaimed series “True Detective,” with Issa López, the mastermind behind “True Detective: Night Country,” set to steer the creative helm under her new all-encompassing deal with HBO.
The renewal doesn’t come as a shock, given the resounding success of “Night Country,” the fourth installment in the HBO anthology series, starring Jodie Foster and Kali Reis. According to HBO, the season has become the most-watched in the show’s history, boasting a staggering 12.7 million cross-platform viewers. The season finale on Feb. 18 claimed the title of the most-viewed episode, captivating 3.2 million viewers across HBO and Max and marking a notable 57% surge from the season’s premiere viewership in January.
Issa López expressed her excitement, stating, “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 Casey, Francesca, and the whole team is a dream come true. I can’t wait to go again.”
Francesca Orsi, executive vice president of HBO Programming and head of HBO drama series and films, praised López, saying, “Issa Lopez is that one-of-a-kind, rare talent that speaks directly to HBO’s creative spirit. 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.”
In “Night Country,” detectives Liz Danvers (Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Reis) embark on an investigation into the disappearance of eight men at a remote arctic research station in Alaska. The plot unfolds into a dark and unexpected journey, revealing connections to one of their old cases.
The star-studded cast of “Night Country” included Finn Bennett, Fiona Shaw, Christopher Eccleston, Isabella Star LaBlanc, and John Hawkes. Guest appearances featured Anna Lambe, Aka Niviâna, and Joel D. Montgrand.
Notably, lead actors Foster and Reis are not currently attached to the upcoming fifth installment, continuing the show’s tradition of changing lead actors with each new season.
López, who served as the writer, executive producer, and showrunner for “Night Country,” was joined by executive producer Jodie Foster. The ensemble executive production team included Barry Jenkins, Adele Romanski, Mark Ceryak of Pastel, Chris Mundy, Alan Page Arriaga, Steve Golin, Richard Brown, Nic Pizzolatto, Mari Jo Winkler, and Season 1’s Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, and Cary Joji Fukunaga. Princess Daazhraii Johnson, Cathy Tagnak Rexford, and Sam Breckman took on producer roles for “Night Country.”