Chris Brancato, co-creator of the hit Netflix series Narcos, has voiced his ambition for his new crime drama The Westies to stand alongside genre titans like Peaky Blinders and The Sopranos. The series, co-created with Michael Panes, premieres on July 12, 2026, exclusively on MGM+ in the UK, available through Amazon Prime Video.
Based on a Real-Life Irish-American Gang
The Westies is a gritty historical drama centered on the notorious Irish-American gang of the same name that operated in Hell's Kitchen, New York, during the early 1980s. The show boasts an 'unbeatable' cast, including Hollywood veteran J.K. Simmons as kingpin Eamon Sweeney, Grantchester's Tom Brittney as Jimmy Roarke, Bosch's Titus Welliver as Glenn Keenan, Ozark's Jessica Frances Dukes as Birdie Polk, and Downton Abbey's Allen Leech as Brendan Cahill.
Brancato on the Appeal of Organized Crime Dramas
In an exclusive interview with Reach, Brancato explained the enduring appeal of the genre: 'I think people are captured by those who are willing to break any rule or boundary to get what they want, which is usually money. We wouldn't ordinarily put ourselves in those situations but to watch others who are doing so is somehow gripping. That's what has always drawn me to the genre: it's dangerous, you could lose your life at any moment, the tension is high, the stakes are very high.'
Comparisons to Peaky Blinders and Narcos
When asked if The Westies could become the 'next big show' in the crime genre, Brancato said: 'Well first of all, we hope there are comparisons to those three shows. We'd be very pleased if that were the case. We never know. We don't know how the audience is going to respond to the material. We've had a very favourable reaction to people seeing the show before it's gone on the air and we hope people enjoy it - that's our goal!'
Assembling the Cast
Reflecting on the ensemble, Panes noted: 'We were so blessed with our cast: Titus Welliver, Sarah Bolger... Everyone was so excellent that it became a joy to write for them and everyone got along really well.' Brancato revealed that Simmons was the first actor to come on board, lending the project the 'gravitas' needed to attract an 'A-level' cast.
Official Synopsis and Premiere Date
The official synopsis from MGM+ reads: '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 Javits 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.'
The Westies premieres on 12th July 2026 exclusively on MGM+ in the UK.
