Justified and Vice Principals alum Walton Goggins is set for a lead role in CBS drama pilot L.A. Confidential, based on James Ellroy’s classic noir novel, from Arnon Milchan, producer of the acclaimed 1997 L.A. Confidential movie; CBS TV Studios; New Regency; and Lionsgate TV. In addition, Anna Fricke (Being Human) has signed on as executive producer and co-showrunner alongside Jordan Harper.

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Written by Harper and directed by Michael Dinner, L.A. Confidential follows three homicide detectives, a female reporter and a Hollywood actress whose paths intersect as the detectives pursue a sadistic serial killer among the secrets and lies of gritty, glamorous 1950s Los Angeles.

CBS

Goggins will play one of the detectives, Jack Vincennes. All swagger and flash with a movie-star smile, Jack knows how the system works and uses it to his best advantage, including some corrupt shakedowns on the side. The role was played by Kevin Spacey in the movie that premiered at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival and went to on score nine Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, and two wins.

Harper executive produces with Milchan, Dinner and Fricke.

Goggins won a Critics’ Choice Award for his performance in the HBO comedy series Vice Principals. He landed an Emmy nomination for his role as Boyd Crowder on FX’s Justified and starred in the first season of History’s top-rated scripted military drama series Six. On the feature side, Goggins stars as the villain opposite Alicia Vikander in Warner Bros./MGM’s upcoming Tomb Raider, and will be seen in Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp, which Disney will release July 6. Goggins is repped by ICM Partners and Darris Hatch Management.

Fricke recently served as executive producer/showrunner on the CW drama series Valor and also exec produced Fox’s Wayward Pines.