True Detective season 4 could be on the way with a "new voice" at the helm

True Detective season 4
(Image credit: HBO)

True Detective, once one of the jewels in HBO's crown, could be coming back for a fourth season – without creator Nic Pizzolatto.

Speaking to Deadline, HBO's chief content officer Casey Bloys outlined plans for True Detective season 4. "It’s safe to say we’re working with a couple of writers to find the right tone and take. It’s definitely an area that could be very interesting and I think it would be interesting with a new voice," Bloys said.

But it's not a given at this stage. "Quality is what’s going to guide us," Bloys stated. "So if we end up with scripts that we don’t feel are representative or are not at a high enough quality, we’re not going to do something just to do it."

True Detective has had a rocky history at HBO. Its first season, starring Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey, was widely lauded as one of the greatest shows of the past decade. Its gripping story and foreboding atmosphere helped propel both actors – and the creative team which included now-No Time to Die director Carey Fukunaga – to new heights.

The second season was less well-received, while the Mahershala Ali-starring third season in 2019 pulled back some of that goodwill retained from its rookie year. Now, HBO is putting the feelers out for a fourth season that could be unlike anything we've seen before in the show. It's time to get your fancasting ready, folks.

Find out what's coming your way on streaming this month with our guide to what's new on HBO Max.

Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at 12DOVE, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.