True Detective renewed for season 5 from Night Country showrunner

Issa López has also signed a deal to create and develop new projects for HBO

True Detective is returning for a fifth season that will be overseen by True Detective: Night Country showrunner Issa López.

López took over the crime franchise in its fourth season from creator Nic Pizzolatto, and the Alaska-set series she wrote and directed went on to enjoy record viewership figures.

HBO have also announced that López has signed an overall deal to create and develop new projects for them.

In a statement, HBO’s head of drama Francesca Orsi said: “Issa López 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 [Foster] and Kali [Reis]’ 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.”

López was given control of the True Detective franchise after Pizzolatto’s overall deal with HBO expired and he moved to Disney. He later left that contract ahead of schedule.

Pizzolatto has reposted several critical comments about the new series on social media, adding that fans “can’t blame me.” Night Country star Reis responded by calling his reaction “a damn shame”.

Jodie Foster, showrunner Issa López and Kali Reis of ‘True Detective: Night Country’ (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

López recently explained her reasoning for linking the latest series to the show’s debut season, saying that it was a convenient way to convey the shows share a universe.

The Mexican writer-director said she was already working on a murder mystery set in Alaska when HBO called and asked her “what she’d do” with True Detective.

After deciding to transpose a new series of True Detective onto her existing idea, the writer-director “set out to create it in the very same universe”.

López told The Independent: ”It’s very important to me to say the world where Dora Lange died in 2007 in Louisiana is the exact same world where the scientists disappear in 2024. So how do you establish those realities? Just to say, ‘This is the same world.’”

When Night Country was first released it was review-bombed by fans who López described as “bros”.

The series followed detectives Liz Danvers (Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Reis) as they investigated the sudden disappearance of eight men from a research station.

Although Night Country was a hit with audiences - drawing 12.7 million viewers across multiple platforms - it divided critics. The Independent’s Louis Chilton argued that the series finale was “deflating” and the show “failed to connect”.