Summary
Amazon canceledBosch: Legacyahead of its third season, which is set to air next month. The Renee Ballard spin-off has been in the pipeline for a while, and the supposed plan was to expand Michael Connelly’s crime universe, rather than Harry Bosch passing the torch to Maggie Q’s crime-fighting cold case investigator.Amazon clearly had a succession plan in mind, but failed to inform Michael Connelly.
Michael Connelly sold the rights to Harry Bosch to Amazon over a decade ago, but he wouldn’t have agreed totheBallardspin-offif he knew it would be at the expense of Harry Bosch’s solo stories inBosch: Legacy.Amazon’s approach to the Bosch-verse is extremely underhanded, especially when it was Connelly’s superb books that led toBoschandBosch: Legacy.
Ballard Season 1
Starring
Maggie Q, Courtney Taylor, John Carroll Lynch, Michael Mosley, Rebecca Field, Victoria Moroles, Amy Hill, Ricardo Chavira, Noah Bean, Alain Uy, Hector Hugo and Titus Welliver
Based on the books by
Directed by
Jet Wilkinson
The words ‘Amazon’ and ‘misleading’ go hand in hand nearly as well asHarry Bosch and Renee Ballard. Michael Connelly’s plan was to see his iconic characters feature in an epic expanded crime universe on Prime Video. However,Amazon had other ideas, and they didn’t share them with Connelly and the rest of the creative team.If they had, Connelly probably wouldn’t have handed over the rights to the character of Renee Ballard. Connelly had already parted with the rights toHarry Bosch, but after ten years of collaboration with Amazon, it’s hard to blame him for trusting that they’d respect his long-term vision for his crime world.
Connelly and Titus Welliverstood behind Amazon when questions were raised about their conduct when they announcedthe end of Bosch: Legacy. Amazon has never called it a cancelation, butsources within the productionhave a very different version of events. However,Amazon has silenced the cast and crew, and the fans’SaveBosch: Legacypetitionhas been hampered by it.
Save Bosch: Legacy Key Points
Michael Connelly Trusted Amazon And They Let Him Down When The Bosch-verse Was About To Expand
Back in September 2024, Michael Connelly put on a brave face and released a statement to announce the end ofBosch: Legacyon hisInstagramaccount:
I’m happy to announce that the third season ofBosch: Legacywill premiere on Prime in March. I think it’s our best yet. It will also be the last season, bringing to a fitting close a 10-season run with this character.
Michael Connelly was ‘not’ happy to announce the end ofBosch: Legacy, but his continued involvement with Amazon ontheBallardspin-offleft him powerless. However, Connelly was very honest in a later interview withThe Irish Star:
We didn’t get the word Bosch: Legacy was not going to go on until we were well into producing Ballard, but that kind of frees up some of our Bosch characters.
Michael Connelly and Amazon have collaborated for over a decade, but the legendary author was let down ahead of the most important year for the Bosch-verse.Amazon didn’t like the increasing costs associated with the production ofBosch: Legacy, andMichael Connelly’s contract clausewas holding them back, so they scrapped the show. In an interview withCBS Saturday Morning, Connelly said:
I want it in writing, in a contract that every shot in this show would be shot in Los Angeles, because Los Angeles is as big of a character as Harry Bosch is. And they agreed to that, which now they would never do. Now they are smart.
It’s a pity Michael Connelly’s contract didn’t protect him against Amazon using the Renee Ballard spin-off to phase outBosch: Legacy.
