'Empires of New York': Release date, plot, trailer and all you need to know about CNBC docus on NYC titans
New York is an iconic city. It's a city that never sleeps, it is the city of dreams, and it is the city of greed. It is no wonder then that there have been so many songs, so many books, and even movies made about the city that seems so magical. Of course, most of this art never glorifies the one aspect of the city that stands out yet is never spoken about: greed. That essence is signified by a famous line uttered by Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) in the 1987 film, 'Wall Street'. He says, "The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed, for lack of a better term... is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms — greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge — has marked the upwards surge of mankind."
Gekko was inspired by a real Wall Street persona, Ivan Boesky, who is one of the five individuals who possibly represent New York City's avarice. These five individuals, including queen of New York real estate Leona Helmsley, audacious US Attorney Rudy Giuliani, powerful organized crime boss John Gotti, and the 45th President of the United States, Donald J Trump, are the subjects of CNBC Prime's first-ever premium documentary series, 'Empires of New York'. Read on to know more about the limited docuseries.
Release date
'Empires of New York' will consist of six one-hour episodes and will premiere on Sunday, November 29, at 8/7c with two back-to-back episodes.
Plot
The official synopsis for 'Empires of New York' states:
"Narrated by Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner Paul Giamatti, and set amid the grit, greed, and glory of 1980s New York, 'Empires of New York' chronicles the meteoric rise of five icons who not only reshaped the city but contributed mightily to the world we live in today: 'arbitrage king' of Wall Street Ivan Boesky; queen of New York real estate Leona Helmsley; audacious U.S. Attorney Rudy Giuliani; powerful organized crime boss John Gotti; and media-savvy business tycoon and future President of the United States Donald Trump.
"Drawing on exclusive interviews, never-before-told stories, and secret tapes, the six-episode series follows five titans of the era who shared a singular trait: the insatiable need to win at all costs. Seizing opportunity in an era jolted by one cultural upheaval after another — MTV and 24-hour news, hip hop, drugs, the onset of AIDS — they broke rules, flaunted their wealth, and delighted in the destruction of their enemies. And oddly, at times America came to love them for it.
"'Empires of New York' interweaves the stories of New York City's most powerful icons over the course of the 1980s — revealing how their actions reshaped the city, defined the decade, and forever changed the culture of America as a whole."
Producers
'Empires of New York' is produced by Industrial Media's The Intellectual Property Corporation (IPC) and Fairhaven Films, with IPC's Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman, and Fairhaven's Matthew Galkin as executive producers. Luke Bauer is the executive producer for CNBC. The series is directed by Matthew Galkin.
Trailer
If you like this, you'll like:
'The Eighties: Greed Is Good'
'Leona Helmsley: The Queen of Mean'
'Giuliani Time'
'Trump: An American Dream'
'Gotti: Godfather and Son'