Story perspectives

MGM+ Sets Two-Hour “Godfather of Harlem” Finale, Whitaker Stars

7/2/2026

Summary

Whitaker Concludes Series

MGM+ announced that “Godfather of Harlem” will conclude with a two-hour series finale.
Production on the finale begins July 10 on the Brooklyn sets.
Forest Whitaker will star as Bumpy Johnson and serve as executive producer for the finale, joined by returning cast members Ilfenesh Hadera and Antoinette Crowe-Legacy.
The finale will portray Bumpy Johnson confronting his ultimate reckoning as enemies close in on his empire.

Summary

Swizz Beatz Scores

The two-hour series finale will be aired as two weekly installments.
Swizz Beatz serves as executive music producer, shaping the finale’s soundtrack.
The finale acts as a posthumous tribute to co-creator Paul Eckstein, who died in 2023.
MGM+, 20th Television and Amazon co-produce the finale, reflecting a multi-partner content strategy.

Summary

Westies Premiere

The Westies, Chris Brancato’s third MGM+ series, is scheduled to premiere on July 12.
Brancato also created the MGM+ series Hotel Cocaine, which follows Cuban exile and CIA operative Roman Compte during Miami’s late-1970s to early-1980s cocaine boom.
Season 4 of Godfather of Harlem aired from April 13 2025 to June 22 2025, introducing gangster Frank Lucas, depicting Malcolm X’s assassination, and showing Bumpy Johnson’s daughter Elise joining the Black Panthers.

History

Historical Context

The Wire, created by David Simon, premiered on HBO on June 2 2002 and concluded with its 93-minute, 60-episode finale on March 9 2008, reshaping serialized crime drama with its novelistic structure. Its critical acclaim despite modest ratings set a precedent for costly, multi-partner endings, a model MGM+ follows for the two-hour Godfather of Harlem finale slated for July 2025.

1 of 4

Whitaker Concludes Series

MGM+ announced that “Godfather of Harlem” will conclude with a two-hour series finale.
Production on the finale begins July 10 on the Brooklyn sets.
Forest Whitaker will star as Bumpy Johnson and serve as executive producer for the finale, joined by returning cast members Ilfenesh Hadera and Antoinette Crowe-Legacy.
The finale will portray Bumpy Johnson confronting his ultimate reckoning as enemies close in on his empire.

1 / 4