Nic Pizzolatto has an idea to bring his True Detectives back

After a season of cyberbullying True Detective: Night Country, creator Nic Pizzolatto says, "I actually have another story for Cohle and Hart."

By Matt Schimkowitz  |  June 1, 2025 | 6:23pm
Screenshot: HBO
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Nic Pizzolatto has an idea to bring his True Detectives back
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The life cycle of a True Detective has become increasingly difficult to pin down. After the ups and downs of original creator Nic Pizzolatto’s initial three seasons of the grim HBO mystery series, HBO went in a different direction for season four, passing the reins to Issa López for Night Country. While Night Country was a hit with critics and audiences, becoming the most-watched season of the series, Pizzolatto appeared unhappy with the direction López took, calling the series “a hot mess” that “butchered and misappropriated” the first season’s Pizzolatto-penned “all time classic dialogue.” Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, but it seems like the creator would like his show back, having recently tossed out a Hail Mary that could get HBO’s attention: He has an idea to bring back Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson as Rust Cohle and Martin Hart, should anyone be interested.

Appearing on the Nothing Left Unsaid podcast, Pizzolatto offered tempered teases of what could be, claiming to “have another story for Cohle and Hart” that he thinks “the guys are open to.” As it stands, “It’s just a question of whether that would ever happen or not.” Pizzolatto, who has worked with McConaughey and Harrelson since their King in Yellow days, says he and the boys have spoken about getting the gang back together. However, again, tempering expectations, Pizzolatto says, “It’s not something I’ve written or anything, it’s just in my head, and we’ve talked about getting back together and doing it.”

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Pizzolatto’s overall deal with HBO expired after season three, and the Home Box Office brought in Barry Jenkins and Issa López to revamp the series in 2022. Pizzolatto, McConaughey, and Harrelson retained executive producer credits on the fourth season, but did not participate in any creative function. Since leaving the world of True Detective, he’s written screenplays for The Magnificent Seven, Galveston, and The Guilty. He’s also tied to a Magnificent Seven television series, the ever-in-flux Blade reboot, and Easy’s Waltz, his feature film directorial debut starring Al Pacino and Vince Vaughn.

 
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