Forest Whitaker Goes Crime Boss in New Drama ‘Godfather of Harlem’

Oscar winner Forest Whitaker is set to star in the upcoming EPIX miniseries Godfather of Harlem, portraying legendary crime boss Bumpy Johnson.

Written by Narcos co-creator Chris Brancato and Paul 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,” reads a press release. “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. 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.”

The 10-episode ABC Signature Studios production will air this fall on EPIX and EPIX NOW. Check out the teaser clip below.