Godfather of Harlem tells a story inspired by infamous Harlem crime boss Bumpy Johnson (Forest Whitaker), who in the early 1960s returned from eleven years in prison to find the neighborhood he once ruled in shambles. In season two, Bumpy the New York Crime Families for control of the lucrative and murderous “French Connection,” the pipeline for heroin that runs from Marseilles to New York Harbor. With a distribution syndicate that includes black crime bosses from other major U.S. cities, Bumpy takes a cue from his friend Malcolm X’s message of black economic nationalism. His ambitious plan will face challenges from not only the Italians but his wife Mayme, daughter Elise, rival Adam Clayton Powell, prosecutor Robert Morgenthau, and even Malcolm himself. Once again, Godfather of Harlem explores the collision of the criminal underworld and civil rights in the colorful, tumultuous year of 1964.
“Godfather of Harlem is that rare show that is both addictively entertaining, and deeply relevant,” said Michael Wright, president of EPIX. “Forest 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.”
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.
“We’re thrilled to bring this extraordinary group of artists back together for season three of ‘Godfather of Harlem,’ ” said Jonnie Davis, President, ABC Signature. “Forest Whitaker’s Bumpy Johnson is one of television’s great antiheroes and we can’t wait to see what the brilliant creative team led by Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein have in store.”
In addition to Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland) as star and executive producer, Season Three cast members include: Vincent D’Onofrio (Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Daredevil), Ilfenesh Hadera (She’s Gotta Have It, Baywatch), Lucy Fry (Bright, Vampire Academy), and Antoinette Crowe-Legacy (Geechee, Passing), Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad, The Mandalorian) and Whoopi Goldberg (Sister Act, The Color Purple) as Miss Willa. Additional new cast members include Michael Raymond-James (Sweet Girl, Law & Order) as Joe Colombo and Jason Alan Carvell (NCIS: New Orleans, The Baker and the Beauty) as Malcom X.
Produced by ABC Signature, the series is executive produced by Chris Brancato, Paul Eckstein, Forest Whitaker, Nina Yang Bongiovi, James Acheson, Markuann Smith and Joe Chappelle. Swizz Beatz is executive music producer.
“I’m 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 thank Michael Wright, EPIX, ABC Signature, and our dedicated fans for their support,” said Forest Whitaker.
Godfather of Harlem’s second season was EPIX’s best performing season of all time, and the series broke records for any single title streams in a single day across EPIX’s digital platforms. The season two finale was EPIX’s best performing finale episode to date.
Godfather of Harlem season 3 premieres on Sunday, January 15. The series airs on Epix, which was rebranded as MGM Plus in 2023.