The Untold Story Behind LA Confidential 2: Why Netflix Never Realized Its Potential
Netflix's missed opportunity: Original screenwriter recalls why LA Confidential 2 pitch never materialized despite the acclaimed film's nine Oscar nominations
Summary
Warner Bros and Netflix have turned down plans for a sequel to L.A. Confidential, which was intended to be set in the 1970s and feature Chadwick Boseman and the original cast members. This decision highlights a lack of enthusiasm for mid-budget R-rated dramas.
Co-writer Brian Helgeland expressed his frustration when an executive dozed off during his pitch, revealing a concerning lack of enthusiasm for the project. The sad truth is that the triumph of the original L.A. Confidential represents a genre of movies that contemporary studios and streaming platforms no longer prioritize, creating uncertainty regarding the prospects of a sequel.
Brian Helgeland has shared some insights about his unsuccessful attempt to pitch a sequel to the movie L.A. Confidential. The original film, based on James Ellroy's gritty novel, was released in 1997 and garnered critical acclaim, earning nine Oscar nominations and a Best Supporting Actress win for Kim Basinger. Several years later, there were plans for a sequel, with Chadwick Boseman slated to star, but Warner Bros. dropped the project and Boseman tragically passed away. Unfortunately, we will never know what a Boseman-led L.A. Confidential sequel would have looked like. However, Helgeland has now provided some intriguing details about the story he and Ellroy had envisioned for the film and their failed attempts to pitch it to Warner Bros. and Netflix. Read on to find out what Helgeland disclosed in his interview with Deadline.
James Ellroy and I collaborated on an intricate proposal for a sequel to "L.A. Confidential," set during the Patty Hearst era when the Symbionese Liberation Army arrived in Los Angeles. We had Guy Pearce, Russell Crowe, and Chadwick Boseman on board, with Boseman portraying a young police officer working for Mayor Bradley. We presented the idea to various studios, beginning with Warner Bros, who expressed that such films were not within their typical genre. Ellroy, being a performance artist, delivered the pitch with incredible flair and skill. However, our executive at Netflix unintentionally dozed off during the presentation. This incident led me to realize that pursuing the project further was no longer feasible.
It Might Be Too Late For L.A. Confidential 2
A project set in the 1970s during a time of social unrest, featuring Boseman alongside Pearce and Crowe, the talented cast from L.A. Confidential, seems to have immense potential. However, both WB and Netflix deemed it unappealing, revealing a disheartening reflection on the current landscape of filmmaking and the types of projects that capture the attention of major studios and streaming platforms.
The unfortunate truth is that the original L.A. Confidential represents a type of film, a mid-budget R-rated adult drama, that is no longer desired in the industry. Helgeland's frustration is understandable, given that an executive actually fell asleep during his pitch. It's not surprising that he seems to have given up on the possibility of creating L.A. Confidential 2. There is a chance that the circumstances may change in the future, allowing Helgeland and Ellroy's vision of Bud White and Edmund Exley in the 1970s to come to fruition. It's undoubtedly sad that Boseman passed away before he could join Crowe and Pearce in what could have been an exceptional sequel.
