
Back to All News
Michael Connelly Reveals How The Lincoln Lawyer Returns to the Books Roots
Netflix Staff
Entertainment
12 May 2022
GlobalUnited States
As the bestselling author behind 36 novels, Michael Connelly had plenty of material to choose from for his latest foray into TV. However, it was iconoclast idealist criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller who had been ruminating in my mind, as Connelly puts it, in early 2020.
So, after revisiting the criminal defense attorney for the first new Lincoln Lawyer book in seven years, Connelly is now helping bring him to the small screen for the new Netflix drama series The Lincoln Lawyer, on which he serves as executive producer.
From creator David E. Kelley (Big Little Lies, The Practice), The Lincoln Lawyer follows Mickey as he runs his law practice out of the back of his Lincoln and takes on cases big and small across the expansive city of Los Angeles. Based on Connelly's series of bestselling novels, the first season is adapted from the second book, The Brass Verdict.
Ahead of the series' May 13 debut, Connelly shares how this new adaptation returns to the book's roots, casting Manuel Garcia-Rulfo in the lead role, the show's unique tone and his most special moment on set.
Why did you want to revisit Mickey Haller and his world as a TV series rather than a movie?
Television has certainly changed in the last ten years with the advent of streaming platforms and, most importantly, serialized storytelling. So being a novelist who writes character-based legal thrillers, this became a pitch right over the plate. To be able to take a book and a character and tell a story over ten episodes instead of having to condense and condense a novel into a 100-minute movie, I would take that any day of the week. It is the best way to serve the character of Mickey Haller to have all this time and space to dig in and dig down deep into character and motivation. It really has changed my view of taking my stories to Hollywood.
What made David E. Kelley and his team the right choice to adapt this character for the small screen?
About 15 years ago when the first Lincoln Lawyer novel came out, I got a call from David who said he thought he could make it into a good television show. The problem was I had just sold the book to Lakeshore Entertainment, the company that made the movie a few years later. But eventually, the rights to the books and the character came back to me and we were able to connect again. So it only took about 15 years to get it done. But it was fortuitous because TV changed in those 15 years and it became, through streaming, a place to tell serialized, novelistic stories. I've always known that David is a genius when it comes to television and particularly stories about the law. So I could not be happier with how it has turned out. In the first episode, David expertly set the tone of the show as well as the fast-thinking character of Mickey, the humor, intrigue and danger - all in one episode. You really see his genius in just one episode.
Why did you decide to start the series with the second book?
Well, one reason is that I have a very loyal fan base and so we felt that many of the viewers who would come to the show would have seen the earlier movie. We wanted to give them something new. In the second book, The Brass Verdict, we find Mickey at a low point and the book is really about him getting his mojo back. David Kelley believed that was a story people could connect with. It's been a tough couple of years in Los Angeles and in the world. In a way, we are all trying to get our mojo back and the story we tell in our first season connects with that in a good way.
How much of the first season will dive into the season-long mystery at the center of The Brass Verdict?
As a season-long arc, we took the story of The Brass Verdict because we believed it was a story that could show off the character of Mickey best. It's really a story about how a guy who is hands down a killer in the courtroom has many issues outside of the courtroom. To add to that, we wanted to find a balance between a season-long legal story and make every episode fulfilling for the viewer. So you see Mickey handling a variety of cases as we move through the season and continue the big overriding story. I think we struck a very good balance in the storytelling.
How involved were you with casting? Why was Manuel Garcia-Rulfo the right person for the part?
Netflix wanted to keep me in the loop so I was consulted every step of the way. About 10 years ago, there was a movie based on the first book that starred Matthew McConaughey in the title role. So we had this iconic actor having already played the role and we really wanted to establish the new Mickey Haller as someone different but just as charming and confident in the courtroom. In the books, Haller's ethnicity is Mexican-American. He was born and raised in Los Angeles by a father who was a trial lawyer and a mother who was a Mexican actress. The casting and creative people at Netflix made the decision early on to stick with what was in the books and, of course, that is music to a writer's ears.
We then had to find the right guy and it became apparent pretty quickly that Manuel was that guy. He has an easy charm but it is also pretty clear that he thinks fast on his feet and is always two steps ahead of his opponents and sometimes even his clients. Manuel exudes this kind of confidence. In the first episode, this becomes clear when he very cleverly wins Izzy's case and then of course hires her as his driver. When it all falls together you think, Wow, this guy is good.' When I saw that finished scene, man, my heart swelled. I knew that was the guy from the books.
How involved were you during production? What was it like seeing Mickey Haller's world come t
More from Netflix
29/06/2022
Back to All News
Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area' Pockets Global Top Spot
Entertainment
29 June 2022
GlobalSouth Korea (Republic of Korea)
...
29/06/2022
Back to All News
Jamie Foxx And Cameron Diaz To Star In New Film Back In Action...
28/06/2022
Back to All News
Netflix Picks Up The Electric State With Joe & Anthony Russo D...
28/06/2022
Back to All News
Netflix Just Released the Date and First Look Images of Another SelfPlay Video
Play Video
Entertainment
28 June 2022
GlobalTurkey
Another...
28/06/2022
Back to All News
Beyond Cards: Giving Members More Ways to Pay
Shalini Khatwani
Director, Payments Asia Pacific
Innovation
28 June 2022
GlobalSingaporeTha...
28/06/2022
Back to All News
Top 10 Week of June 20: The Umbrella Academy' Is This Wee...
27/06/2022
Back to All News
Obliterated, New Action-Comedy Series at Netflix, Adds Cast
Entertainment
27 June 2022
GlobalUnited States
It was previously announced tha...
27/06/2022
Back to All News
First Look at Norwegian Young Adult Film Royalteen - Launching August 17
Entertainment
27 June 2022
GlobalNorway
Today, Netflix revealed t...
24/06/2022
Back to All News
Heart-Stopping Trailer for Ranveer vs Wild with Bear Grylls...
24/06/2022
Back to All News
Netflix Announces the Start of Production of El Conde, the New...
23/06/2022
Back to All News
Youtube Creator James Rallison's Animated Series Oddballs ...
23/06/2022
Back to All News
Gina Rodriguez, Zachary Levi, Everly Carganilla and Connor Est...
23/06/2022
Back to All News
Casting Begins for One Hundred Years of Solitude - and Anyone ...
23/06/2022
Back to All News
Something for Everyone
Entertainment
23 June 2022
GlobalFrance
Talking this morning at Cannes Lions in France, Ted Sarandos - Netflix co-C...
23/06/2022
Back to All News
Selling Sunset Renewed for Two Seasons as Netflix Lists 2022 S...
21/06/2022
Back to All News
Danish Feature Film Loving Adults Starring Dar Salim and Sonja...
21/06/2022
Back to All News
Kickstart Your Summer of Love With Netflix
Entertainment
21 June 2022
Global
Summer is upon us and love is in the air. Netflix is celebrat...
21/06/2022
Back to All News
Top 10 Week of June 13: Hustle' Remains the English Films...
20/06/2022
Back to All News
Netflix Starts Filming Dutch Comedy Happy Ending
Entertainment
20 June 2022
GlobalNetherlands
This month, filming started for Happy Ending...
20/06/2022
Back to All News
NETFLIX STARTS FILMING DUTCH COMEDY HAPPY ENDING
Entertainment
20 June 2022
Global
This month, filming started for Happy Ending, the new D...
17/06/2022
Back to All News
A High School Promise 20 Years in the Making: Empathy and Awe ...
17/06/2022
Back to All News
Will Forte Set For Bodkin (Working Title), Higher Ground and w...
17/06/2022
Back to All News
Introducing the 2022 Filmmakers of the Netflix-Ghetto Film School Partnership
Alexander Zahn
Manager, Netflix Independent Film
Alex Matros
...
16/06/2022
Back to All News
Netflixs Animation Showcase at The Annecy International Animat...
16/06/2022
Back to All News
This Summer, Experience Your Favorite Netflix Series and Films...
15/06/2022
Back to All News
Ardalan Esmaili and Adam Kais join second season of Snabba Cas...
15/06/2022
Back to All News
Netflix Renews Series Sweet Home for Two More Seasons
Entertainment
15 June 2022
GlobalSouth Korea (Republic of Korea)
Netflix today confi...
15/06/2022
Back to All News
Netflix Announces Hurts Like Hell'
Entertainment
15 June 2022
GlobalThailand
New Thai limited series brings to light the dark secret...
15/06/2022
Back to All News
Jerry Seinfeld's First Feature Film, Unfrosted: The Pop-Ta...
14/06/2022
Back to All News
Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron, And Joey King Set To Lead Untitled R...
14/06/2022
Back to All News
The Verdict Is In! The Lincoln Lawyer Has Been Renewed For a S...
14/06/2022
Back to All News
Netflix Greenlights Squid Game: The Challenge Reality Competit...
14/06/2022
Back to All News
Top 10 Week of June 6: Hustle' Scores Big, Stranger Thin...
13/06/2022
Back to All News
The Brothers Sun Sets Cast With Michelle Yeoh in Leading Role
...
13/06/2022
Back to All News
Netflix ISP Speed Index for May 2022
Netflix Staff
Innovation
13 June 2022
Global
All eyes are on Asia, with three countries posting nota...
12/06/2022
Back to All News
A wrap on Paradise (AT)
Entertainment
12 June 2022
GlobalGermanyAustriaSwitzerland
Producers: Simon Amberger, Korbinian Dufter, Rafael Par...
12/06/2022
Back to All News
FOR JOJO - Trailer and key art for the friendship drama with C...
12/06/2022
Back to All News
A Whole New Round Is Coming: Squid Game Returning for Season 2
Entertainment
12 June 2022
GlobalSouth Korea (Republic of Korea)
It took 12...
10/06/2022
Back to All News
JOIN RANVEER SINGH FOR INDIA'S FIRST INTERACTIVE ADVENTURE...
10/06/2022
Back to All News
Uma Thurman and Henry Golding Set to Join The Old Guard 2 Jo...
10/06/2022
Back to All News
Geeked Week 2022 Recap: All the News and Sneak Peeks From Games Day
@NetflixGeeked
Entertainment
10 June 2022
Global
Geeked Week is offic...
09/06/2022
Back to All News
BUBA - from August 3, finally on Netflix
Entertainment
09 June 2022
GlobalGermanyAustriaSwitzerland
Director: Arne Feldhusen
Camera: Yosh...
09/06/2022
Back to All News
Netflix Sets Bold Slate of Animated Series and Films from Europe
Entertainment
09 June 2022
Global
Ahead of the 61st annual Annecy Interna...
09/06/2022
Back to All News
2022 Tasveer Film Fund Launches With Increased Filmmaker Fundi...
09/06/2022
Back to All News
F. Gary Gray's "Lift" Rounds Out Cast
Entertainment
09 June 2022
GlobalUnited States
Sam Worthington (Avatar), Jean Reno (Da 5 Bloods)...
09/06/2022
Back to All News
Stand Out: The Documentary To Premiere On Netflix In 2022
Entertainment
09 June 2022
GlobalUnited States
Feature-Length Documentary to Exa...
09/06/2022
Back to All News
Netflix Open Connect Pledges Expanded Local Access For Over 100M Internet Users
Thomas Volmer
Director, Head of Global Content Delivery Poli...
09/06/2022
Back to All News
Geeked Week 2022 Recap: All the Behind-the-Scenes Scoop From ...
08/06/2022
Back to All News
Undercover Agent or Secret Seductress? Netflix India Drops Sea...
08/06/2022
Back to All News
KING OF STONKS - Trailer for New BTF Series Released Play Video
Play Video
Entertainment
08 June 2022
GlobalGermany
Showrunners: Philipp ...