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EPIXÂź RENEWS CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED DRAMA SERIES
GODFATHER OF HARLEMÂ FOR THIRD SEASON
Executive Producer and Academy Award Winning Actor Forest Whitaker to ReturnÂ
in Ten-Episode Season from ABC SignatureÂ
New York, NY â January 13, 2022â Premium cable network EPIXÂź announced today that Godfather of Harlem, from ABC Signature, which is a part of Disney Television Studios, will return for a 10-episode third season. The critically acclaimed drama starring Forest Whitaker was created by Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein (Narcos). It is scheduled to begin production in New York this summer.
Godfather of Harlemâs second season was EPIXâs best performing season of all time, and the series broke records for any single title streams in a single day across EPIXâs digital platforms. The season two finale was EPIXâs best performing finale episode to date.
Godfather of Harlem tells a story inspired by infamous crime boss Bumpy Johnson (Whitaker), who in the early 1960s returned from eleven years in prison to find the neighborhood he once ruled in shambles. Season Three will find Bumpy Johnson continuing to battle for control of Harlem, with other aspirants to the throne, namely the Cuban Mafia from neighboring Spanish Harlem. Taking on the Cuban mob will put Bumpy, his loved ones, and his community in the crosshairs of not only the rival Italians, but ruthless Latin assassins and, ultimately, the CIA. Godfather of Harlem is a collision of the criminal underworld and the civil rights movement during one of the most tumultuous times in American history.
âGodfather of Harlem is that rare show that is both addictively entertaining, and deeply relevant,â said Michael Wright, president of EPIX. âForest Whitaker, Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein have crafted a series that deserves all the acclaim it has received, and it grows more compelling every season.â
âIâm thrilled to be returning to my show, working alongside our truly incredible cast, crew, and writers, as we tell this unique and powerful story. I canât wait to get back to set, and thank Michael Wright, EPIX, ABC Signature, and our dedicated fans for their support,â said Forest Whitaker.
âWeâre thrilled to bring this extraordinary group of artists back together for season three of âGodfather of Harlem,â ” said Jonnie Davis, President, ABC Signature. âForest Whitakerâs Bumpy Johnson is one of televisionâs great antiheroes and we canât wait to see what the brilliant creative team led by Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein have in store.â
In addition to Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland) as star and executive producer, season three cast members include: Vincent DâOnofrio (Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Daredevil), Ilfenesh Hadera (Sheâs Gotta Have It, Baywatch), NigĂ©l ThatchâŻ(Selma, American Dreams), Lucy Fry (Bright, Vampire Academy), and Antoinette Crowe-Legacy (Geechee, Passing).
Produced by ABC Signature, the series has been executive produced by Chris Brancato, Paul Eckstein, Forest Whitaker, Nina Yang Bongiovi, James Acheson, Markuann Smith and Joe Chappelle. Swizz Beatz has served as executive music producer.
ABOUT ABC SIGNATURE:
One of the Disney Television Studios, ABC Signature is a global leader in the development, production, and distribution of entertainment content across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. The studio produces many of ABC Entertainmentâs most significant hits, including âGreyâs Anatomy,â âblack-ish,â and âStation 19â; co-productions âThe Good Doctor,â âA Million Little Things,â âThe Rookie,â and âHome Economics,â and late-night talk show âJimmy Kimmel Live!â ABC Signatureâs returning and upcoming series include âPromised Landâ for ABC; Huluâs âDollface,â and co-production âWoke; âgrown-ishâ for Freeform; âThe Wildsâ for Amazon and âGodfather of Harlemâ for EPIX. For streaming service Disney +, series include âThe Mighty Ducksâ and âBig Shot.â
ABOUT EPIX:
EPIXÂź, an MGM company, is a premium television network delivering a broad line-up of quality original series and documentaries, the latest movie releases and classic film franchises â all available on TV, on-demand, online and across devices. EPIXŸ has tripled the amount of original programming on the network and has become a destination for original premium content with series including âŻGodfather of Harlem, âŻstarring and executive produced by Forest Whitaker; Pennyworth, the origin story of Batmanâs butler Alfred and dramaâŻÂ Chapelwaite, âŻbased on the short storyâŻÂ Jerusalemâs LotâŻÂ by Stephen King and starring Academy Award winner Adrien Brody; as well as upcoming premieres of western adventure series Billy the Kid; sci-fi horror series From produced by Midnight Radio and AGBO; season two of dramedy Bridge and Tunnel âŻwritten and directed by Ed Burns and season three of epic fantasy drama seriesâŻÂ Britannia. Other originals include EmmyÂź-nominated music docuseries Laurel Canyon; docuseries Fall River, from Blumhouse Television; season two of âŻWar of the Worlds, from Howard Overman and starring Gabriel Byrne and Daisy Edgar-Jones; sweeping historical drama Domina; acclaimed spy thriller Condor; docuseriesâŻÂ NFL: The Grind and NFL Icons, from NFL Films; music docuseries Mr. A & Mr. M: The Story of A&M Records; docuseries Fiasco, based on the podcast of the same name; Belgravia, âŻfrom Julian Fellowes, Gareth Neame and the creative team fromâŻDownton Abbey; docuseries Helter Skelter: An American Myth,⯠executive produced and directed by Lesley Chilcott; By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem; and EnslavedâŻfeaturing Hollywood icon and human rights activist Samuel L. Jackson. Launched in October 2009, EPIXŸ is available nationwide through cable, telco, satellite, and emerging digital distribution platforms as well as through its EPIX NOW app, providing more movies than any other network with thousands of titles available for streaming.
For more information about EPIX, go toâŻwww.EPIX.com. Follow EPIX on Twitter @EpixHd (http://www.twitter.com/EpixHD) and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EPIX), YouTube (http://youtube.com/EPIX), Instagram (http://instagram.com/EPIX) and Snapchat @EPIXTV.
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Contacts:
Eileen Quast, EPIX PR
Janet Daily, ABC Signature PR