Vince Vaughn and Colin Farrell have landed the coveted lead roles in the second season of HBO’s hit series True Detective.

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The pair will replace previous stars Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, who were firm favourites on the awards season circuit for their outstanding performances.

HBO has announced that the second season of the show is set to begin filming in California later this year, with The Fast and the Furious director Justin Lin directing the first two episodes.

Vince Vaughn (left) and Colin Farrell are True Detective’s newest stars.

According to a statement from the network, Irish-born Farrell will play Ray Velcoro, a compromised detective whose loyalty is divided between his bosses in a corrupt police department and the mobster who owns him.

Meanwhile, Vaughn will star as Frank Semyon, “a career criminal in danger of losing his empire when his move into legitimate enterprise is upended by the murder of a business partner”.

Farrell has already spoken about the new role, telling Irish newspaper The Sunday World that he is “so excited”.

“I know it will be eight episodes and take around for our five months to shoot … I know very little about it, but we’re shooting it in the environs of Los Angeles, which is great. It means I get to stay home and see the kids,” Farrell said.

The casting decision has already been criticised on social media, with many Twitter users questioning the lack of female or racially diverse cast members.

Maybe in the next season of True Detective, Colin Farrell & Vince Vaughn can solve the mystery of the missing female and non-white actors

— Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) September 23, 2014

Additional casting will be announced as it is confirmed.

True Detective season two will premiere on Foxtel’s showcase channel express from the US in Winter 2015.