We were dubious of recent 'True Detective' season 2 gossip that seemed to cement Brad Pitt as a leading contender for the as-yet-unconfirmed 2015 followup to HBO's breakout drama, but the latest major Hollywood name in play proves a bit more promising. Is 'Interstellar' star Jessica Chastain our female lead for 'True Detective' season 2, or is the rumor mill only spouting wishful thinking?

UPDATE 5/21: Both HBO and Chastain's representation have apparently denied the report to E! news, though we remain skeptical of any and all reports concerning 'True Detective' casting, positive or negative.

The latest 'True Detective' season 2 intel comes from Nerdist, who claim that Chastain has been offered the lead role in the next cycle of HBO's anthology series, as creator Nic Pizzolatto had purportedly shown interest in a female lead to counteract claims of underwritten female roles in the first season. Chastain has yet to formally accept the part, while representatives for the 'Zero Dark Thirty' star have predictably declined comment.

Either Chastain or Pitt certainly lie within the realm of possibility, as much as Matthew McConaughey or Woody Harrelson might have been thought to anyway, while we’ve had our own ideas about potential A-list talent ‘True Detective’ season 2 might look to, Chastain included. In addition to everything we know about ‘True Detective’ season 2, series creator Nic Pizzolatto told press previously that he’d like to focus on “hard women, bad men and the secret occult history of the United States transportation system,” though it remains unclear how seriously we should take those words.

HBO has yet to even formally confirm 'True Detective' season 2, likely waiting until its leading players have been officially locked down, but what say you? Would Jessica Chastain make the ideal candidate to follow Woody and Matty's footsteps toward the next season of 'True Detective?' Give us your thoughts and casting picks in the comments!

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