True Detective Season 5 Odds and Predictions

True Detective arguably missed the mark with their latest rendition, Night Country. Whether you loved or hated the most recent installment, though, there’s a chance for something better to come along.

HBO retained Issa Lopez to possibly run this series into the ground for good, but with a second crack at it, it’s still in play for her to correct any past mistakes and tell a better, more connected story.

Whether you believe that or not, you can at least take a chance at cashing in on who stars in True Detective season five. There are odds out for some massive names to possibly get the lead roles, and your job is to correctly guess who gets the honor.

There are a lot of entertainment markets to bet on these days, but trying to guess who will star in True Detective next has to be among my favorites. If you’re not sure, join me as I break down the top candidates and offer my final predictions.

How To Watch True Detective?

True Detective is an anthology detective series that airs on HBO. You can catch past seasons and the coming season five on HBO Max, while other popular streaming services such as Hulu, Roku, YouTube TV, and Amazon Prime also offer it via premium subscriptions or purchase.

True Detective Season 5 Cast

The cast of True Detective season five has not been announced yet. The only thing we know for sure is that director and writer Issa Lopez is back to run the show, and that we have a setting.

While the previous season was set in Alaska, season five will take place in New York. We also know who won’t be in the cast; Jodie Foster. 

Lopez did reveal that there will be an important connection between the new setting and what took place in Ennis, Alaska. It remains to be seen if it’s just in passing, a callback, or if a familiar character turns up in True Detective season five.

True Detective Rumors

There aren’t any True Detective casting rumors just yet. There were initial whispers that Jodie Foster could return for another season, but she’s come out publicly to make it clear that she won’t be returning.

Each year brings new hope that the franchise will return to the two iconic actors that made this series great in the first place – Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey – but neither are expected to make a return to the series in season five.

The only other “rumor” is that there is an IMDB.com page for the fifth installment, and several big name actors have been added to it. The likes of Jeffrey Wright, Susan Sarandon, and Joel Kinnaman are on the page, although it’s likely that this page is just simply wishful thinking by fans.

True Detective Odds

Check out our breakdown of the latest True Detective odds and prop bets:

Who Will Play The Main Detectives In Season 5?

• Olivia Colman (-125)
• Justin Theroux (+300)
• Brian Tyree Henry (+300)
• Rhea Seehorn (+300)
• Kerry Washington (+500)
• Benicio Del Toro (+500)
• Edward Norton (+500)
• Margaret Qualley (+600)
• Lashana Lynch (+600)
• Timothy Olyphant (+700)
• Emily Blunt (+700)

You’re looking at the actors and actresses with the best odds to star in True Detective next. This is a series with some massive names attached to it, so no star is really too big.

The other thing to consider is that more than one actor or actress could be cast in a leading role. The first season had two huge names star in it, while season two had four. The focus here won’t be on villains or other roles, of course, as you’re just tasked with predicting who will play the detective(s).

Let’s look at the best options available to bet on at the top sports betting sites.

Olivia Colman (-125)

How do you one-up Jodie Foster? By bringing in recent Oscar winner, Olivia Colman. There’s nothing concrete or even technically rumored about Colman, but she has minus odds to be cast in True Detective season five.

Colman has been positively riveting across numerous roles, being recognized the most for her work in The Crown and The Lost Daughter. There’s no doubt she’d make a killer detective, assuming the show wants to cast another female lead and one that is again over 50.

That said, if Issa Lopez is eyeing an impactful actress with critical acclaim, she can’t do a whole lot better.

Justin Theroux (+300)

Colman has the best odds to star in True Detective season five, but I’m not totally sold that she’s actually a great fit or that she has a clear path to the role. I might be more willing to take a gamble on someone like Justin Theroux, who has two Emmys in his bag and would make an amazing detective.

Not convinced? Give Theroux a look in The Leftovers or The Mosquito Coast. Theroux has the look, charm, and intensity a leading man and gritty New York detective would need.

The question isn’t if Theroux would make a good detective. It’s if he’s big enough of a name to move the needle for HBO.

Benicio Del Toro (+500)

This is where things start to get interesting. I like the idea of Theroux in the True Detective universe, but I actually get excited when thinking about the prospect of Del Toro ruling this realm.

Del Toro has legit credibility for a role like this. He’s played the war-torn assassin in Sicario, but he’s also played a legit detective in Reptile. 

That movie by itself is just OK, but Del Toro’s nuanced and authentic performance holds it together. If he can bring anything close to that to True Detective, we may very well be in for a return to everything that made this thing so great in the first place.

Lashana Lynch (+600)

Nudge the price a little higher and you have Lashana Lynch, who gives True Detective a ready and willing detective in her prime. Lynch is as versatile as they come, having excelled in James Bond’s universe (No Time to Die), and also played a government agent in The Day of the Jackal.

In True Detective we’d get a more grounded and grittier Lynch. However, we know for a fact she can handle action scenes, interrogations, and tense situations. She’d be an amazing addition to the franchise and would be a big enough name to fan the flame.

The real issue would be scheduling conflicts. She’s already slated to star in The Day of the Jackal for at least one more season, if not many more.

Emily Blunt (+700)

Rounding out the top 10 odds for who could star in True Detective next is Emily Blunt. Her character in Sicario was lacking confidence, but she was as real and raw there as ever. 

That type of vulnerability and authenticity makes her a frontrunner, and if you ask me, she’d be my first pick of the actresses that have appealing odds to this point. Blunt is a total badass. We didn’t fully see that part of her character in Sicario, but she definitely displays that ability in Edge of Tomorrow and The English.

True Detective Predictions

In terms of name recognition, proven ability, and odds, I don’t know if there is a better option among the female candidates than Emily Blunt.

While all of the top contenders are in play, the one I like the most remains Benicio Del Toro. He was extremely convincing as a detective already, he has compelling odds, and he’d be a perfect option with the setting in New York due to his hardened demeanor. 

Should there again be two leads cast in True Detective, reuniting Del Toro with Blunt could be an intriguing option. Want more value? Don’t write off massive names like Ryan Gosling (+1800) or Viola Davis (+1800).

Bet: Benicio Del Toro (+500)