Robert Downey Jr. Looking to Bring Back 'Perry Mason'

[Walts Ghost]

Robert Downey Jr. to Bring 'Perry Mason' to the Big Screen

This week has been packed with news about TV shows moving to the big screen, and vice versa, beginning with the news of a really and truly possible Arrested Development movie, and moving into other, less promising properties. (Does anyone really want a Mr. Ed movie?)

Now it is Perry Mason‘s turn, as Robert Downey, Jr. and his wife and producer Susan Downey are working with Warner Bros. on a revival of the beloved defense attorney character. This version of Perry Mason will actually hew closer to the original novels by Erle Stanley Gardner than the first run of the television series that starred Raymond Burr and ran from ’57 to ’66, with later TV episodes and movies following.

Variety says that Perry Mason will be a period piece, “set in the rough and tumble world of early 1930s Los Angeles, and feature fan favorites such as Mason’s secretary, Della Street, private investigator Paul Drake, and Mason’s longtime courtroom nemesis, Hamilton Burger.” Oddly enough, most of the 80+ Perry Mason novels by Gardner are out of print, so it isn’t even as if WB is looking to loot some upsurge in public interest for the books.

(Does this mean Warner Bros. really likes the reception that period pieces like J. Edgar and the still-shooting Gangster Squad are getting?)

While the tone and character will be based on Gardner’s novels, the film won’t actually adapt any one; rather, Perry Mason will be based on an original story by Downey and producer David Gambino. A writer hasn’t even been hired yet, so this one is a ways off, and Downey could end up not playing the character after all once a script is delivered.

If you don’t know anything about the character, it might be best to go to the description Gardner wrote for Mason in his debut novel:

You’ll find that I’m a lawyer who has specialized in trial work, and in a lot of criminal work…I’m a specialist on getting people out of trouble. They come to me when they’re in all sorts of trouble, and I work them out…If you look me up through some family lawyer or some corporation lawyer, he’ll probably tell you that I’m a shyster. If you look me up through some chap in the District Attorney’s office, he’ll tell you that I’m a dangerous antagonist but he doesn’t know very much about me.

Source

[TruBlu06]

This is good news. Robert Downey Jr. is a great actor and I really like the old Perry Mason episodes. It would be cool if it could be made for release in 2012.

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by TruBlu06

This is good news. Robert Downey Jr. is a great actor and I really like the old Perry Mason episodes. It would be cool if it could be made for release in 2012.

Given how early in production this is (no writer yet), I think 2012 is pretty much impossible. Depending on how much he wants to play the character and his schedule, 2013 or 2014 is pretty realistic.

Even though I never saw any Perry Mason episodes, I'd be all for this as Robert Downey Jr. is my favorite actor and he'd probably do a really good job with the character.

[Atreyu]

I may be in the minority but to me Raymond Burr (RIP) will always be Perry Mason. When the author of the books, Gardner took one one look at Burr while casting the television series he said, "That's Perry Mason!"

[Trekkie313]

Better use the Ozzy song for the theme!

[Walts Ghost]

Originally Posted by Atreyu

I may be in the minority but to me Raymond Burr (RIP) will always be Perry Mason. When the author of the books, Gardner took one one look at Burr while casting the television series he said, "That's Perry Mason!"

I will always love Burr, but I think Downey Jr will bring something new and different to the role.

[P@t_Mtl]

I suppose SHerlock Holmes wasn't enough

[smeesmay]

if he plays perry mason and follows the white line trail of coke, won't it lead straight back to his nose?

[The Drugstore]

That would be awesome.. This is great news

[stlcards]

I like that it would be a period piece.

[Walts Ghost]

Marc Guggenheim Hired to Pen 'Perry Mason' Film

Franchise-chaser Robert Downey Jr has inked a deal with in-demand screenwriter Marc Guggenheim (“Green Lantern”) to pen his big-screen “Perry Mason” reboot.

Though Mason originated in the pages of the Erle Stanley Gardner books, the lawyer character claimed fame as the central character in a 1950′s/60′s TV series that starred Raymond Burr.

Downey’s film, set up at Warner where he and wife Susan will produce said offering, will be set in the 1930′s – as per the original books, says THR.
Guggenheim’s seemingly the right man for the job; not only has he worked on such legal series as “Eli Stone” and “The Practice”, but in a former life he was an attorney himself. He’s currently writing and executive-producing The CW’s superhero series “Arrow” – which, for the record, likely won’t have much to do with lawsuits or numbers.

Source

[BohemianGraham]

My mother says if RDJ were to comb his hair, she'd be all for him playing Perry Mason.