Robert Downey, Jr., is officially bringing Perry Mason back to TV

The Iron Man actor is bring the classic defense attorney to HBO.

Image: AP Photo/Francois Mori

It was little over a year ago when we first brought you news that HBO was looking to reboot Perry Mason with Robert Downey, Jr., in the lead role. This week, those reports became more official, as more details emerged about the project.

Nic Pizzolatto, the creator of HBO's neo-noir hit True Detective, was originally attached, but he has since moved on to work on the third season of that series. Stepping in are writers Rolin Jones (Boardwalk Empire, Friday Night Lights) and Ron Fitzgerald (Friday Night Lights, Weeds). As reported by Deadline, that duo will craft the prestige series that puts the Iron Man star into the sharp suit of Erle Stanley Gardner's iconic defense attorney. This will be Downey's first TV role since Ally McBeal in 2002.

For years, the actor has had an itch to bring the character back to the screen, originally in a motion picture with Warner Bros. But an HBO series will do just fine, if not better, even if it doesn't have fire-breathing dragons.

The original Perry Mason series ran from 1957 to 1966, and was itself based on Gardner's series of mystery novels. There is no word yet on who will play Della Street, Paul Drake or Hamilton Burger. Who would you cast in those roles?



Watch Perry Mason on MeTV!

Weekdays at 9 AM
Weeknights at 11:30 PM

*available in most MeTV markets
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