The FX series Justified came to an end in 2015 after 78 episodes. Now Timothy Olyphant could be putting the iconic hat back on after years of working on other projects. The Justified showrunners are reuniting for another series, and sources say that the plan is to bring Olyphant’s character, Raylan Givens, back into the fold.
According to Variety, Justified alums Graham Yost, Michael Dinner, Dave Andron, Chris Provenzano, Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly, VJ Boyd, and Taylor Elmore are all joining forces to adapt another Elmore Leonard novel, “The City Primeval: High Noon in Detroit.” They will all serve as executive producers for the FX adaptation, while Dinner and Andron will co-write the series. Multiple Leonard novels, including Fire in the Hole and Raylan, also served as the source material for Justified, albeit with some minor changes to key characters.
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The 2012 novel, The City Primeval, does not actually feature Givens, but the character has appeared in several of Leonard’s novels. Instead, the story focuses on “a crazed, psychopathic killer” named Clement Mansell, the “Oklahoma Wildman.” Mansell kills a crooked judge in a senseless execution and draws the ire of homicide Detective Raymond Cruz.
“Lieutenant Raymond Cruz thinks the ‘Oklahoma Wildman’ crossed the line long before this latest outrage, and he’s determined to see that the hayseed psycho meets an end he deserves, with a gun pointed at him,” the synopsis states. “But that means a good cop, having to play somewhat fast and loose with the rules … in order to maneuver Mansell into a wild Midwest showdown that he can’t walk away from.”
According to Variety, the project is still in the early stages. Nothing is “set in stone” at this point, and there are multiple possible outcomes. Olyphant could appear in a minor role, or he could star. No deal has been made yet.
First aired in 2010, Justified starred Olyphant as the deputy U.S. marshal Givens. The series started in Miami with Givens shooting Thomas Buckley, AKA Tommy Bucks from the novel “Pronto.” The fatal incident results in the lawman being reassigned back to his native Kentucky.
Justified was a critical hit during its six-season run due to the acting of Olyphant, Walton Goggins (Boyd Crowder), and Joelle Carter (Ava Crowder) among others. The show earned eight Emmy nominations, including one for Olyphant for best actor in a drama in 2011. Actress Margo Martindale won an Emmy for best guest actress in a drama in 2011 after portraying Mags Bennett during the show’s second season. Jeremy Davies, who played Dickie Bennett throughout the series, won an Emmy for best guest actor in 2012. Justified also won a Peabody Award in 2011.
