The gritty and kinetic crime drama will center on New York City's infamously violent Irish gang, The Westies. Set in the early 1980s, 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.
Brancato co-created the drama with Michael Panes. He will also serve as showrunner on the first season. MGM+ Studios will produce.
"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," added 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."
