His character Saw Gerrera formed a vital part of the early rebellion in Rogue One and now Forest Whitaker is set to transfer from Jedha to Harlem as gangster Bumpy Johnson in Godfather of Harlem, a new series set to run on Epix. Deadline take a closer look.
Nigél Thatch, who received critical praise for his role as Malcolm X in Oscar-nominated Selma, is set to reprise the role in Godfather of Harlem, Epix’s straight-to-series crime drama, starring and executive produced by Forest Whitaker. The series hails from Narcos co-creator Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein, and ABC Signature Studios. Vincent D’Onofrio, Ilfenesh Hadera and Antoinette Crowe-Legacy also star.
Written and executive produced by Brancato and Eckstein, Godfather of Harlem is inspired by the story of infamous crime boss Bumpy Johnson (Whitaker), who in the early 1960s returned from ten years in prison to find the neighborhood he once ruled in shambles. With the streets controlled by the Italian mob, Bumpy must take on the Genovese crime family to regain control. During the brutal battle, he forms an alliance with radical preacher Malcolm X (Thatch) – catching Malcolm’s political rise in the crosshairs of social upheaval and a mob war that threatens to tear the city apart.
