Will there be a True Detective Season 5?
HBOTrue Detective Season 4 — subtitled Night Country — is now behind us with the Alaskan mystery firmly solved. But what does the acclaimed series have in store for us next? Here are the details we know about True Detective Season 5.
True Detective has been through ups and downs throughout its decade-long run. Season 1 — which starred Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson — was beloved by audiences and critics alike, being hailed as a masterpiece and considered one of the best TV shows ever.
The show then took the anthology route, with Season 2 consisting of a new story in a new setting with new characters. Fans were not on board, critics hated it, and the show managed just 47% on Rotten Tomatoes, making it by far the lowest ranked True Detective iteration.
Season 3 somewhat steadied the ship. Now, Season 4 has been largely hailed as the best since the first, including by this outlet. So, what does the future hold for the show? Here’s what we know about True Detective Season 5.
Will there be a True Detective Season 5?
Yes, True Detective Season 5 is officially going ahead. HBO confirmed the order of new episodes mere days after Night Country drew to a close in February, 2024.
Season 4 showrunner Issa López has also been locked in for the next season, with HBO signing the Mexican director to an expansive, long-term deal. And while it’s obviously early days yet, she’s teased ideas for Season 5 are already in motion.
This is in spite of a divisive, record-breaking finale, that left a sour taste for some. However, there’s no denying Season 4 of True Detective was huge success. Night Country carries the show’s highest critical score, even eclipsing that of Season 1. And that has translated into huge viewing figures.
HBOThis series is now officially True Detective’s most-watched. According to Nielsen viewing figures—as well as internal numbers from Warner Bros. Discovery (as per The Wrap)—Season 4 has managed 12.7 million average viewers across US platforms, including HBO and Max. That dwarfs the average of 11.9 million that tuned into Season 1.
With numbers like that, it was a no-brainer for HBO to quickly renew for Season 5, though as with previous efforts, it will likely be a new, standalone story, as the Season 4 case is now well and truly behind us.
When can we expect to see True Detective Season 5?
The dust has only just settled on the latest instalment, so we wouldn’t expect True Detective Season 5 until late 2026 at the very earliest.
HBOBear in mind, Issa Lopez and her team have got to come up with a new idea, write the scripts, assemble the wider cast and crew, and then shoot and edit the whole thing. That’ll take some time, so we’ll have to be patient.
Who could be in the True Detective Season 5 cast?
At this stage, there are no actors attached to True Detective Season 5. Honestly, we probably won’t know anything on that topic for a while.
It’s unlikely any members of the Night Country cast will return for more, as that’s just not the way True Detective works. However, after seeing what happens to Navarro and Danvers at the end of the last season, there is a chance they could be brought back for another case.
All we know so far is that Issa Lopez will be a key figure in putting the show together once more, after her success on Season 4. In an interview with Variety, Lopez revealed she is creating new characters in a new setting.
“In the writing it’s a blast. It’s completely different. There’s different characters, different setting, different story — and I’m enjoying it like crazy,” she said.
However, the idea of connecting dots between this new season and the events of Season 4 in Ennis has not been ruled out. “I will not tell you that yet — yet. But it’s a completely different adventure. Let’s put it that way,” Lopez added.
That’s all we’ve got for now on True Detective Season 5, but if you want to revisit the latest instalment, here’s our guide to the Season 4 soundtrack and a breakdown of the show’s ending. You may also be curious about whether Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson will ever return, we’ve got 7 shows to watch if you like True Detective, and a list of the best TV shows to watch this month.