New 'Perry Mason' Series Starring Matthew Rhys Picked Up by HBO
Got HBO? The new "Perry Mason" series starring Matthew Rhys of "The Americans" has just been picked up the by the premium cable channel.
The series, which is produced by Robert Downey, Jr., will be set in 1932 Los Angeles.
The character was created by Erle Stanley Gardner and first appeared in a 1933 book: He became appointment television when played by Raymond Burr in the TV series than ran from 1957 - 1966.
Unlike that long-running classic show, this will be a limited series.
It will trace the origins of the legendary criminal defense lawyer, who begins the show as a low-rent private investigator living paycheck to paycheck. He is haunted by his wartime experiences in France and his broken marriage. A kidnapping case galvanizes Mason into a relentless pursuit of the truth.
The project was developed in 2016 with the plan for Downey Jr. to star as Mason and with Nic Pizzolatto writing. Sadly, the "Avengers" star's busy film schedule prevented him taking on the lead role in a TV series. And Pizzolatto returned to Season 3 of "True Detective."
The show has also landed a director in HBO veteran Tim Van Patten, who directed the pilot for "Game of Thrones" several episodes of "The Sopranos."
We imagine, if the show is a hit, it will leave the door open for more Perry Mason installments.
[Via Variety]