Posted in: Amazon Studios, Preview, Trailer, TV | Tagged: amazon, Bosch, bosch: legacy, freevee, harry bosch, Michael Connelly, Titus Welliver

Bosch: How Optimus Prime Nearly Cost Us Titus Welliver as Harry Bosch

Author Michael Connelly on when he knew Titus Welliver was the one, pitching his name, and how Transformers nearly changed everything.

With the second season of Amazon's Freevee and author Michael Connelly's Titus Welliver-starring Bosch: Legacy officially underway (no spoilers yet), our last look at the streaming series saw Welliver discussing what it is about playing Harry Bosch that attracts him to the role now more than ever. In addition, Welliver took us into the mindset of the retired detective now that he's a private investigator. For this go-around, we're checking in with what Connelly had to share during a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter. In the following highlight, the bestselling writer shares when he knew Welliver would be right for the role, how pitching his name for consideration went – and how 2014's Transformers: Age of Extinction nearly cost us Welliver.

Connelly Was Eyeing Welliver Early On in the Process: "I had a sense. I mean, I had zero experience.. no I didn't have zero — I was the creator of a show back in like the 2000s, but I wasn't in it and of it. It was like I had an idea. It became a short-lived show and debuted against a show called 'CSI,' which promptly killed it after about seven episodes. But I had very limited experience, so when we decided with Amazon to make this show, we brought in some veteran people. I think that's one of the keys to the success of the show. And when we all gathered to talk about the most important decision: who is Harry Bosch? I had thrown Titus' name out because I had seen him in something, and I could tell he could project inner turmoil really well. And if you have seen the first two episodes of the first season, you see that in an amazing performance. But I was intimidated because it's not my world. I'm a book writer."

"Transformers" Nearly Cost Fans Having Welliver as Harry Bosch: 'I raised my hand and said, 'What about Titus Welliver?' I was expecting people to possibly shout me down. But the answer was, 'We love him, but he's not on our initial list because he's making a movie in Hong Kong" – one of the 'Transformers' movies where he's playing the bad guy. So then we went on and talked to many, many actors, had some auditions and so forth. But we weren't finding Harry Bosch. And it took so long that we heard that Titus was coming back to L.A. So, really, at the 11th hour, we were given six weeks to cast our lead, and on the Friday of the sixth week, we heard that he could come in on a Saturday to audition, and he did. And on Monday, we told Amazon we found our Bosch!"

Bosch: Legacy Seasons 2 & 3 & Expanding Universe

Back in May, we learned that Bosch: Legacy had been officially renewed for a third season. In addition, we also had some serious additions to the Season 2 cast, with David Denman (Mare of Easttown), Patrick Brennan (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2), Rafael Cabrera (Too Old to Die Young), Bruce Davison (X–Men), Jessica Camacho (All Rise), Guy Wilson (Angelyne), and Anthony Michael Hall (The Dead Zone) joining. During Season 2, Bosch (Welliver) and Chandler (Mimi Rogers) work together to seek out a killer who just might find them first. As a result of being kidnapped by a masked assailant, Maddie Bosch's (Madison Lintz) law enforcement career hangs in the balance. While they hunt for Maddie, the FBI scrutinizes Carl Rogers' murder and places Bosch and Chandler under suspicion. Denman is set as Kurt Dockweiler, with Brennan as David Foster, Davison as James Rafferty, Camacho as Jade Quinn, Wilson as Det. Kevin Long, and Hall as Special Agent Will Barron.

Also returning for the second season are Jamie Hector (Det. Jerry Edgar), Stephen A. Chang (Maurice "Mo" Bassi), Denise Sanchez (Det. Reina Vasquez), David Moses (Martin Rose), Cynthia Kaye McWilliams (Det. Joan Bennett), Scott Klace (Sgt. John Mankiewicz), Gregory Scott Cummins (Det. "Crate" Moore), Troy Evans (Det. "Barrel" Johnson), Jacqueline Pinol (Det. Julie Epinosa), Jacqueline Obradors (Christine Vega), DaJuan Johnson (Rondell Pierce), and David Marciano (Det. Brad Conniff).

In February, we learned that Amazon Studios and Connelly were going to be expanding the "Bosch" universe in a very big way. Of course, there's a second season of Bosch: Legacy on the way (possibly this fall). But now, fans can look also forward to spinoff series focused on Detective Jerry Edgar (with Jamie Hector finalizing a deal to reprise his role) as well as on Detective Renee Ballard, who has yet to appear in a "Bosch" television series. Stemming from Fabel Entertainment, Bosch: Legacy is executive produced by Connelly, Welliver, Eric Overmyer, Tom Bernardo, Henrik Bastin, and Pieter Jan Brugge.

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