How long will it be before ol Perry and Della wind up in bed?I mean that's all these hack writers can come up with today.
Some of the best writing today is on television. We shall see if this show goes with them and allows them to to their thing.
Sounds like he's killing time between the tin suit. Still, better this than doing another Sherlock movie for Ritchie!
HBO’s Perry Mason Reboot Looking For New Actor For the Lead, Robert Downey Jr. Remains Executive Producer HBO’s Perry Mason Reboot Looking For New Actor For the Lead, Robert Downey Jr. Remains Executive Producer by Nellie Andreeva July 25, 2018 3:04pm There has been a new development on HBO and Team Downey’s TV series in the works that reimagines Perry Mason. The project, a take on Erle Stanley Gardner’s classic character, was originally set up at HBO two years ago with Robert Downey Jr. attached to play the title character. I hear it became clear about six months ago that Downey Jr.’s feature commitments would make it difficult for him to act on the series, which remains in active development at HBO. “We developed two really good scripts, and we are talking about, is any actor that would be great for the role,” HBO president of programming Casey Bloys told Deadline at TCA. “There is a lot of interest from actors, we are thinking about who that might be.” Robert and Susan Downey, who developed the project, remain executive producers along with Joe Horaceck. Team Downey originally had a Perry Mason feature reboot set up at Warner Bros. six years ago with Downey Jr. attached to star. The Perry Mason HBO series project originally had True Detective creator Nic Pizzolatto on board to write. Pizzolatto since has focused his attention on the third season of True Detective, and last summer, HBO tapped new writers, Ron Fitzgerald, who is under an overall deal at HBO, and his frequent collaborator, Rolin Jones. The character of Perry Mason, an unorthodox investigator/defense attorney, was created by Gardner in the early 1930s. Mason has been featured in more than 80 novels and short stories, a radio series and six feature films in the 1930s, a comic strip in the early 1950s, an Emmy-winning TV series starring Raymond Burr that ran from 1957-66, the short-lived New Perry Mason TV show from 1973-74, and more than 20 made-for-television films that aired during the 1980s and ’90s.
I think it has to do with what I call copyright lockout. Specifically, you can't do anything "original" that is too close to an existing property because those with the rights to the existing property could object and stop it. I think that is why there have been so many reboots and remakes. As an example, I suppose it is possible but I think it would be difficult to do a truly original western, one that would not run afoul of any already existing western. My reaction to many of the reboots/remakes has been to skip them since I'd already seen them once and have no need to see them again unless the original wasn't that good. An example of the later is the movie D. O. A., although the original was okay (I saw it after seeing the remake), I enjoyed the remake much more (although both have the same basic premise, each goes in its own direction). A more recent example (I mentioned them in another post) is the TV series Once Upon A Time. I didn't bother watching more than the first episode of the series due having already read the comic book series Fables years before. Both featured storybook characters transported into the real world. Although there were some differences between the two series, Once Upon A Time wasn't that different from Fables.
Well, the answer there is to do an original idea that is not close to an existing property. There's dozen of huge fiction best-sellers that still come out every year, and I would bet those are original enough not to generate a lawsuit. If dozens of new original novels can come out every year, then the same could happen for film & TV. All they have to do is try a lot harder. I don't have a problem with an American remake of a British idea (or vice-versa). I would point to House of Cards as an example where a UK show originated the idea, but then the American version took it a lot further and went into unexpected directions. Films can work the same way. But I think rebooting Perry Mason today is silly, given that we're talking about 271 hours of episodes that were already done.
I would love to see someone do a Columbo-like series. I don't mean a reboot or a remake of the original, but rather a new detective based series that follows a similar structure where you see someone planing and executing a crime which is then investigated by the detective over an extended length episode, say 70-80 mins each (probably on a streaming platform). Each episode would be a self contained mini movie with no ongoing arcs. It would need a charismatic lead and be cleverly written of course (no NCIS type crap). I would really enjoy the cat-and-mouse, battle of wits, aspects of such a procedural.
I think Downey would've been great in the role, he has come a long way since his "Less Than Zero" days.
Agreed, I would have watched it. And Less Than Zero is a good book. Maybe someone should remake that.
Matthew Rhys To Star In Title Role Of HBO’s ‘Perry Mason’ Limited Series From Team Downey Matthew Rhys To Star In Title Role Of HBO’s ‘Perry Mason’ Limited Series From Team Downey by Nellie Andreeva and Denise Petski Deadline January 14, 2019 12:00 pm Emmy-winning former The Americans star Matthew Rhys has been tapped for the lead in Perry Mason, HBO’s limited series from Team Downey. Rhys will play the classic character in the reboot, which tracks the unorthodox investigator/defense attorney’s origin story. Perry Mason is in the process of hiring a director, and once a helmer is on board, the series is expected to head into production. Written and executive produced by Rolin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald, who also will showrun, the reimagined Perry Mason is set in 1932 Los Angeles. While the rest of the country recovers from the Great Depression, this city is booming! Oil! Olympic Games! Talking Pictures! Evangelical Fervor! And a child kidnapping gone very, very wrong! Based on characters created by Erle Stanley Gardner, the limited series follows the origins of American fiction’s most legendary criminal defense lawyer, Perry Mason (Rhys). When the case of the decade breaks down his door, Mason’s relentless pursuit of the truth reveals a fractured city, and — just maybe — a pathway to redemption for himself. Rhys, who also will produce, is Perry Mason at a time in his life when he is living check-to-check as a low-rent private investigator. Mason is haunted by his wartime experiences in France and is suffering the effects of a broken marriage. The project was originally set up at HBO in 2016, with Nic Pizzolatto writing and Robert Downey Jr. attached to play the title character. But Pizzolatto turned his attention to the third installment of his HBO series True Detective, with Jones and Ron Fitzgerald stepping in as writers, and it also became clear, because of Downey’s feature commitments, that he would be unable to act in the series, so a search began for an actor to play the title character. Robert and Susan Downey, who developed the project, executive produce along with Team Downey’s Amanda Burrell, and Joe Horaceck. Team Downey originally had a Perry Mason feature reboot set up at Warner Bros. six years ago with Downey Jr. attached to star. Rhys is an Emmy and Critics’ Choice award winner for his portrayal of Philip Jennings on critically acclaimed FX drama series The Americans which recently wrapped its sixth and final season. He also received a Golden Globe nomination for the role. Team Downey is an entertainment company founded by Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey that produces film, television and digital properties. Team Downey is currently in post-production on Universal’s The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle, which is set to release in January 2020. Dolittle features an all-star cast with Downey Jr. in the title role. The company is also in pre-production on the third installment of the Sherlock Holmes franchise, which is slated for a December 2020 release. The film comes off the success of Team Downey’s 2009 Sherlock Holmes and it’s equally prosperous 2011 sequel Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. Team Downey is in various stages of development on several additional anticipated feature projects including Focus Features’ A Head Full of Ghosts with Osgood Perkins attached to direct. Additionally, they have partnered with Annapurna Pictures on an untitled feature based on Gimlet Media’s Reply All podcast episode Man of the People, starring Robert Downey Jr. with Richard Linklater writing and directing. On the television side, Team Downey has had a first-look deal with Sonar Entertainment encompassing digital, scripted and non-scripted content. Under the pact, they are in post-production on TNT’s pilot Constance starring Elisabeth Shue. In addition to Perry Mason, Team Downey is prepping pilot Sweet Tooth for Warner Bros TV and Hulu and is in production on an eight episode docuseries entitled Age of AI for YouTube.
I love that they chose to bring the character back to its origins and set the story in the 1930's. Before learning of this decision, I had no interet in watching it, but now I'm looking forward to seeing it.
I vote Adam Sandler! It could either be a comedy send-up, or do it as originally intended: either way, think he'd do the character justice. Sandler shines in dramatic roles, too....i.e. Reign Over Me, Spanglish, Punch Drunk Love, Funny People & the upcoming Uncut Gems. I see it more as a limited series; definitely w/a major player willing to commit to it. Or, Jason Sudekis. Either would capture those "ah...em"...hesitating word-speech mannerisms well, if sticking closely to the original Peter Falk Columbo. That part might be tricky for Sandler (if not the comedy parody) as a number of his comic characters spoke this way. He'd either do better job w/playing it dramatic, or else that would have to be tamped down. Jason Sudekis is probably not far enough out from Horrible Bosses, yet. Still too closely tied to that character & We're The Millers. It looks like he is taking on juicier roles, though...so, possibility farther out.) Jason Alexander would probably kill for the role. (Hmmm...maybe, he'd actually be the best one for it. - But, he'd most likely, try too hard to be a Falk Columbo-clone. )
I watched the first episode and thought it was awful. Wooden/hammy acting, poor script--you name it. I'm not wasting any more time on it.
I was telling someone today that I can’t stand Matthew Rhys and his “smell the fart” style of acting. And that picture of him above illustrates this style perfectly.
First off, I really like the gritty L.A. noir theme and I like the overall look of the show. That being said, there is no one to root for or relate to, as Perry Mason is played as an unlikeable, alcoholic, grumpy bum. Hopefully the writers will flesh out Perry’s PTSD soon, so as to justify his character faults, otherwise I fear they may lose viewers. I want to like this show and I’ll watch another episode or two, but if they haven’t at least made Mason relatable by then, I’ll be gone.
Maybe Tragg gets over this time - once. Maybe PM wins a case and the guilty party does NOT confess on the stand. Frankly I much prefer the older stuff. Maybe I'll watch "Witness For The Prosecution" again.
