It wasn’t meant to be. After weeks of courtship and a week of negotiations, Kevin Costner has opted not to proceed with Trial, the Amazon Studios drama from The Practice, Ally McBeal and Picket Fences creator David E. Kelley. For a few days, it looked like Costner was well on his way to toplining his first TV series (Amazon has been eyeing a 10-episode straight-to-series order for Trial). But negotiations ultimately unraveled. Word is that Amazon is now moving on, re-starting the casting process for the lead role.
Trial, which Kelley co-wrote with his Practice and Boston Legal producer, fellow former attorney Jonathan Shapiro, centers on a former big and powerful lawyer, now an alcoholic after losing a case that saw an innocent kid murdered. He is going head-to-head against his former partner at the legal firm he was kicked out of. Kelley and Shapiro executive produce Trial with Ross Fineman. David Semel is directing.
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