Amazon Betrayed Michael Connelly: Bosch: Legacy Cancelled For Ballard Spin-Off

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Summary

  • Amazon canceled Bosch: Legacy ahead of the third season without informing Michael Connelly.
  • Connelly sold the rights to Harry Bosch, but the spin-off misled him about the Bosch-verse expansion.
  • Amazon’s conduct with ending Bosch: Legacy was underhanded, prompting skepticism and a Save Bosch: Legacy petition.

Amazon announced that they are not moving forward with the third season of “Bosch: Legacy,” which was scheduled for release next month. The series, based on Renee Ballard character, has been in development for some time, aiming to extend Michael Connelly’s crime universe instead of passing Harry Bosch’s mantle to Maggie Q’s character, a cold case investigator. It appears that Amazon had a strategy for succession, but neglected to inform Michael Connelly about it.

Michael Connelly transferred Harry Bosch’s rights to Amazon more than a decade back, but he likely wouldn’t have consented to the Ballard spin-off if he had known it would come at the cost of standalone Harry Bosch stories in Bosch: Legacy. It seems Amazon’s handling of the Bosch-verse is rather deceptive, considering that Connelly’s exceptional books are what created both Bosch and Bosch: Legacy in the first place.

The Renee Ballard Spin-Off Was Sold To Michael Connelly As An Expansion Of The Bosch-verse But This Was Misleading

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 Michael Connelly
Directed by Jet Wilkinson

In a similar vein as Harry Bosch and Renee Ballard in Michael Connelly’s stories, the terms ‘Amazon’ and ‘disagreement’ often go together. Connelly aimed to bring his renowned characters into an expansive crime universe on Prime Video, but it appears Amazon had different thoughts, and they didn’t disclose them to Connelly or the creative team. If they had, Connelly may not have surrendered the rights to Renee Ballard character. Although he had previously given up the rights to Harry Bosch, after a decade of cooperation with Amazon, it’s not surprising that he trusted they would preserve his long-term vision for his crime universe.

Connelly and Welliver backed Amazon amidst doubts about their actions when they declared Bosch: Legacy was over. While Amazon hasn’t used the term “cancellation,” production insiders have a contrasting account of the situation. However, Amazon seems to have restricted discussions about it, which has impeded the progress of the Save Bosch: Legacy petition started by fans.

Save Bosch: Legacy Key Points

  • Sign the petition to Save Bosch: Legacy HERE
  • Spread the word by sharing the link on ALL social media platforms (X, Threads, Blue Sky, Facebook and Instagram.
  • Post REVIEWS of BOSCH: LEGACY on Prime and IMDB, explaining why you love the show and that you want at least ONE MORE SEASON to finish the story

Michael Connelly Trusted Amazon And They Let Him Down When The Bosch-verse Was About To Expand

In September 2024, Michael Connelly courageously shared the news about the conclusion of “Bosch: Legacy” through a post on his Instagram account.

I’m thrilled to share that the third installment of “Bosch: Legacy” is set to debut on Prime Video in March! I believe it’s our finest work yet. What makes it even more special is that it marks the conclusion of a 10-season journey with this character, wrapping up the series in a satisfying manner.

Michael Connelly expressed disappointment rather than joy when sharing that Bosch: Legacy had concluded, as his ongoing partnership with Amazon on the Ballard spin-off prevented him from having control. Yet, in an interview with The Irish Star, Connelly was candid about this situation.

Instead of waiting to continue with “Bosch: Legacy” until we had made significant progress on “Ballard,” the delay allows us to explore some characters from “Bosch” more extensively.

For more than a decade, Michael Connelly has worked closely with Amazon, but just before a crucial year for the Bosch universe, the renowned author found himself disappointed due to a disagreement over the rising costs of producing “Bosch: Legacy.” In an interview with CBS Saturday Morning, Connelly revealed that Amazon decided to cancel the show because of issues related to his contract.

I insisted on having it documented in a contract that all scenes for this series be filmed in Los Angeles, since Los Angeles plays just as significant a role as Harry Bosch himself. They initially agreed to this condition, but now, given their intelligence, they would never have consented to it.

It’s unfortunate that Michael Connelly’s contract didn’t prevent Amazon from leveraging the Renee Ballard spin-off to potentially replace or overshadow Bosch: Legacy.

Sign The Petition To Save Bosch: Legacy HERE

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2025-02-13 01:12