HBO Cancels ‘Perry Mason’ After 2 Seasons

HBO has canceled ‘Perry Mason‘ after two seasons. The show, based on characters from Erle Stanley Gardner’s novels and aired its second season from March to April 2023. In June 2023, the streamers confirmed that there would be no season 3.

Rolin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald for HBO created the classic series. Executive produced by Team Downey’s Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey, Rolin Jones, Ron Fitzgerald, Amanda Burrell, Joe Horaceck, Tim Van Patten, Matthew Rhys, Michael Begler, and Jack Amiel. Amiel and Begler were writers and co-showrunners.

HBO Shows Gratitude for ‘Perry Mason’ Team and Announces Future Collaboration with Team Downey

In a statement (via Deadline), HBO said, “We are tremendously grateful for the remarkable work of Matthew Rhys and the unrivaled cast and crew of Perry Mason for their reimagining of such a treasured and storied franchise.” HBO added, “While we won’t be moving forward with another season of the series, we are excited to continue working with the brilliant creatives at Team Downey on future projects.”

The show is led by Matthew Rhys as Perry Mason, a low-rent private investigator who later becomes a lawyer. It focuses on the origin story of famed defense lawyer Perry Mason. In 1932, Los Angeles is prospering while the rest of the U.S. is recovering from the grip of the Great Depression. Down-and-out private investigator Perry Mason is struggling with his trauma from the Great War and being divorced. He is hired for a sensational child kidnapping trial; his investigation results in major consequences for Mason, those around him, and local leaders.

The series also stars Juliet Rylance as Della Street, Chris Chalk as Paul Drake, Shea Whigham as Pete Strickland, Tatiana Maslany as Sister Alice, John Lithgow as Elias Birchard, Justin Kirk as Hamilton Burger, Diarra Kilpatrick as Clara Drake, Eric Lange as Eugene, and Katherine Waterston as Ginny Aimes.

In an interview, Robert Downey Jr. told of his third season of the show and believes there are more interesting stories to tell. Discussions have taken place with Michael, but the decision rests with others. He said, “I mean, wouldn’t that be nice?” he told Deadline. “I think that Matthew and all the other people populating it in front of the screen, all our people behind the scenes, have built this incredible world that I know we could continue to tell really interesting stories about. We would be lying if we didn’t say we’ve certainly been talking to Michael a ton about a third season, but our fate rests in the hands of others.”

Team Downey’s HBO projects include the upcoming series “The Sympathizer,” by Park Chan-wook, in which Robert Downey Jr. will play four characters. Downey Jr. looks unrecognizable on the set of “The Sympathizer.” Also, ‘Sherlock Holmes 3’ is in development with Downey Jr. set to return.

Source: Deadline