MGM+ ORDERS ORIGINAL CRIME DRAMA SERIES "THE WESTIES" FROM CREATOR AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER CHRIS BRANCATO

The Westies is scheduled to start production in Toronto in July

Showrunner Chris Brancato to executive produce alongside Michael Panes

CULVER CITY, California - March 18, 2025 - Today, premium linear channel and streaming service MGM+ announced it has ordered the original crime drama series The Westies from creator and executive producer Chris Brancato. Under his overall television deal with MGM+, Brancato created the series with Michael Panes and will also executive produce and showrun. The eight-episode series marks Brancato's third series with MGM+ following the success of his critically acclaimed series Godfather of Harlem, starring Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker, premiering in its fourth season on April 13, and the crime thriller Hotel Cocaine. The Westies will go into production in Toronto, Canada, in July and will premiere exclusively on MGM+ in the U.S., UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, and Colombia. Amazon MGM Studios Distribution will distribute in all other international territories.

The Westies is a gritty and kinetic crime drama centering on New York City's infamously violent Irish gang of the same name. The series is set in the early 1980s when the construction of the Jacob Javitz Convention Center on the Westies' home turf in Hell's Kitchen promises a financial windfall. Despite being outnumbered fifty-to-one 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. 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.

"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+. "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."

"The Westies has been a passion project of mine, and I can't wait to bring it to life," said Brancato. "This is a story about ambition, loyalty, and power, set against the backdrop of 1980s New York. I'm grateful to be working again alongside my collaborators Michael Panes and most especially with Michael Wright and the entire MGM+ team."

Chris Brancato is represented by WME, Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher, and Frank PR.

Michael Panes is represented by WME.

About Brancato Inc.

Brancato Inc. is a television and film production company formed by showrunner and acclaimed writer Chris Brancato, best known for his work on the groundbreaking Golden Globe and Emmy nominated series Narcos and critically acclaimed Godfather of Harlem, which will premiere Season Four in Spring 2025 and stars Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker. Brancato Inc. is committed to creating high-quality content for a global audience that not only captivates viewers but also explores differing social themes and perspectives.

Chris Brancato has written and produced over 250 hours of television, including such series as X-Files, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, and Hannibal, and co-created the series Narcos for Netflix, Godfather of Harlem for MGM+, and created Hotel Cocaine for MGM+. In addition, Chris wrote MGM's popular gangster feature Hoodlum, starring Lawrence Fishburne, and the sci-fi thriller Species II.

About MGM+

MGM+, an Amazon company, is a premium linear channel and streaming service delivering a broad lineup of exclusive original series and docuseries, current movie releases, and classic film franchises - all available in the U.S. on TV, on-demand, online, and across devices. MGM+ is a destination for premium content, with original series including sci-fi horror series FROM, Emmy-winning Godfather of Harlem, the Western adventure Billy the Kid, the mystery Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue and the upcoming horror thriller The Institute, along with cinematic dramatic series Rogue Heroes, Belgravia, and War of the Worlds. The network is also the home of acclaimed docuseries, including the critically acclaimed In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon, Emmy-nominated Laurel Canyon, award winning Hollywood Black, My Life as a Rolling Stone, NFL Icons, and The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood. Premium movies are also available, including Gladiator II, Nickel Boys, Blink Twice, Challengers, IF, Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning, The Beekeeper, American Fiction, and Mean Girls.

MGM+ is available nationwide through cable, telco, satellite, digital distribution channels and the MGM+ app. For more information about the current MGM+ lineup, go to www.mgmplus.com or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube.