When will 'Godfather of Harlem' Season 2 return? Here's what to expect when Forest Whitaker-starrer is back
Created by Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein, Epix's 'Godfather of Harlem' was a visual treat, both as a socially motivated series and as a gangster saga. Based on the real-life story of Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson starring Forest Whitaker as the titular character, the early '60s gangster drama doesn't hold back and is pacy from the get-go. The opening shot is a spectacular view of the Alcatraz prison and we see a solemn-looking Whitaker released after a 10-year time, just to see his neighborhood in utter shambles. The Italian mob is now the street leader and Bumpy must take on the Genovese crime family and restore some parity.
Rotten Tomatoes rated 'Godfather of Harlem' a healthy 92% with the critics' consensus reading: "As sharply dressed as it is smartly written, Godfather of Harlem walks familiar blocks to its own beat and makes a strong first impression." And quite an impression it did as Epix renewed the series for a season 2. That said, here's a quick rundown of where the series is at the moment, what the world hopes to see, and a probable idea of when the much-anticipated series returns.
Where we left off
The season finale focused around President Kennedy's death and the repercussions it had on the mob community. Bumpy Johnson (Whitaker) gets summoned by the Genovese crime family and threatened to death. Chin Gigante (Vincent D'onofrio) also hires a hitman to take him out, but Bumpy manages to escape by the skin of his teeth with Elise (Antoinette Crowe-Legacy) coming to his aid.
Nigel Thatch's Malcolm X leaves the Nation of Islam when he realized he was forced to not voice out his opinion for the very cause he believed in. Giancarlo Esposito's Adam Clayton Powell Jr showcased a charismatic, flamboyant, and ruthless leader who fought for the black people's rights, and he had his own way of doing it. Last we saw, he's left broken upon the news of Kennedy's assassination.
What we'd like to see
Definitely more of Adam Clayton Powell Jr and Bumpy's interactions. Here's what Brancato had to tease about the upcoming season: "Season 2 is a momentous time in our nation’s history. LBJ is trying to pass the Civil Rights Act. Harlem is a seething cauldron about to explode in the face of police brutality. Bumpy Johnson is trying to manhandle the French connection dope, which is flooding Harlem, and he needs a piece of control. The streets of Harlem and the mob is in disarray. Joe Bonanno wants to take over. All of this is based on historical truth, and Bumpy and his family and his friends are at the center of it. So that’s going to be explosive."
When will Season 2 release?
The renewal news was announced in February this year; however, with the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, production was halted along with most other shows. With production slowly resumed across the world, the series too has started rolling the wheels and we are hoping for a mid-2021 release.
