- MGM+ has officially ordered The Westies from Chris Brancato (Narcos, Godfather of Harlem, Hotel Cocaine) with the key players now locked in.
- The eight-episode crime drama will follow the violent Irish gangs of New York City during the 1980s, and their power struggles against the Five Families of the Italian Mafia.
- The Westies release date: Early 2026.
If you’ve found the formula for success… why bother deviating from it?
That’s essentially been the television-producing philosophy of Chris Brancato, who is now crafting his third crime drama series set during the 1980s – dubbed The Westies – after Netflix’s Narcos franchise, and more recently, Hotel Cocaine.
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Described as a Peaky Blinders-esque period drama with shades of Martin Scorsese’s Gangs of New York starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Day-Lewis, it sounds like another compelling binge come early 2026.
The eight-episode affair involves New York City’s fearsome Irish gangs, against the backdrop of the Jacob Javits Convention Centre’s construction on their “home turf” in Hell’s Kitchen.
“Despite being outnumbered 50-to-1 by the Five Families of the Italian mafia, the Westies’ legendary brutality and cunning have given them the leverage necessary to share the spoils through a fragile détente,” explains Deadline.
“But internal conflict between the brash younger generation and the old-school leadership threatens to set a match to this powder keg, which will sweep the Westies into the FBI’s ever-deepening investigation into the Italian mafia.”
This past month, the key players have been unveiled.
The Westies will be led by none other than J.K. Simmons. The Academy Award winner of Whiplash fame takes on the role of Eamon Sweeney – the charismatic yet ruthless leader of the titular Westies, whose “old-school charm and neighbourhood loyalty mask fierce criminal ambition and calculated brutality.”
“J.K. Simmons doesn’t just play authority – he radiates it,” stated Brancato.
“We’re lucky to have an actor who brings the gravitas and danger that this world demands.”
Opposite Simmons will be Bosch alum Titus Welliver, who portrays yet another cop in troubled NYPD officer Glenn Keenan – a man “torn between loyalty to the law and love for his wayward son” who happened to grow up with the Westies crew.
The latest series regular we’ve learned about is Jessica Frances Dukes (Jessica Jones, Ozark, The Gilded Age) as Birdie Polk – your classic no-nonsense FBI Special Agent in charge of the agency’s Gambino Task Force, who’s “determined to take down Irish and Italian organised crime.”
“We are thrilled to bring our viewers another provocative, exciting crime drama from the incomparable vision of Chris Brancato,” said Michael Wright, Head of MGM+; in reference to the creative’s other MGM+ hit Godfather of Harlem starring Forest Whitaker.
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“Chris is a gifted showrunner who builds his stories around compelling characters operating in dangerous worlds about to explode. The Westies is him at his best, and we can’t wait to bring it to our MGM+ audience.”
Brancato, who executive produces and writes in addition to serving as showrunner, has co-created The Westies alongside Michael Panes; the latter of whom has predominantly been known as a jobbing actor up until now.
The Westies will stream on MGM+ in select territories such as the US, UK, Germany, and Mexico; while becoming available via Amazon Prime Video internationally (including Australia). Keep an eye out here for all the crucial details as they’re announced, i.e. specific release date, cast, news, etc.
