According to THR, Forest Whitaker has signed on to executive produce and star in the new crime drama series Godfather of Harlem, which has a 10-episode straight-to-series order from the MGM-owned cable network Epix.
Godfather of Harlem has been created by Chris Brancato (Narcos) and Paul Eckstein, who serve as writers as well as executive producing. It will see Whitaker portray real-life crime boss Bumpy Johnson, who returned to his neighbourhood in Harlem in the 1960s after a ten-year prison stretch and discovered that it was now under control of the Genovese crime family. Forming an alliance with radical preacher Malcolm X, Johnson sets out to regain control in what is described as “a collision of the criminal underworld and the civil rights movement during one of the most tumultuous times in American history.”
“Godfather of Harlem is a show with powerful relevance to the issues we face today — gang violence, police brutality, opioid addiction and racial politics in a divided country,” said Whitaker. “I’m grateful to have the opportunity to bring this character to life and to work with Michael Wright, the Epix team and ABC Signature, alongside excellent writers and producers.”
“We read the script, and met with Chris, Paul and Forest, and knew immediately that this show was perfect for Epix,” added Epix president Wright. “It’s an exciting and relevant story, brought to life by passionate, extraordinary talent and a great studio in ABC Signature. It’s exactly the kind of series we want to put on Epix as we build awareness and expand the network’s distribution across the country.”
