'True Detective' Season Three Replaces Director After Two Episodes

The long-delayed third season of HBO's True Detective has experienced a bump in the road during production.

Director Jeremy Saulnier has left after finishing only two episodes.

Saulnier, who was also an executive producer on the show, was going to split the season with creator and writer Nic Pizzolatto, but that plan has been scrapped. Daniel Sachkehim, a veteran TV director who worked on The Americans and House, will step in to finish the episodes Saulnier was going to work on, reports Variety.

An HBO spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter that the change was due to scheduling conflicts. However, Variety reports that Pizzolatto and Saulnier have run into creative differences.

"Director and executive producer Jeremy Saulnier has completed the first two episodes of True Detective Season 3 and will be departing the production due to scheduling issues," the spokesperson said. "Daniel Sackheim has come on board as a director and executive producer for the series alongside series creator and director Nic Pizzolatto."

HBO is reportedly happy with the scripts for the new season, which is set in the Ozarks. The central crime mystery unfolds over three time periods and was written by Pizzolatto, with help from Deadwood creator David Milch.

Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali (Moonlight, Hidden Figures), Carmen Ejogo (Selma, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) and Ray Fisher (Justice League) lead the cast.

Other stars include Scoot McNairy, Stephen Dorff, Mamie Bummer, Michael Greyeyes, Jon Tenney, Rhys Wakefield and Sarah Gadon, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Saulnier is best known for his films Blue Ruin (2013) and Green Room (2015), and also won an Emmy for directing episodes of NYPD Blue. He also worked on two episodes of Game of Thrones and has Netflix's Hold The Dark in the can.

HBO is hopeful that True Detective's third season is better than the second, which starred Colin Ferrell and Rachel McAdams. It was not as well-received critically as the first season, which starred Matthew McConaughtey and Woody Harrelson.

The first season was also directed entirely by Cary Fukunaga, who earned an Emmy for his work. Season two relied on rotating directors, including Justin Lin.

True Detective season three is not expected to air on HBO until 2019.