MGM+ has released a gripping first-look trailer for a new crime drama, The Westies, which is expected to appeal to fans of Peaky Blinders and The Sopranos. Created by Narcos writer Chris Brancato, the eight-part series is set in 1980s New York City and chronicles a violent turf war between the Italian mafia, the FBI, and a notorious Irish gang.
The Westies stars JK Simmons as the gang's formidable leader Eamonn Sweeney, alongside Titus Welliver, Tom Brittney, Stanley Morgan, Sarah Bolger, and Jessica Frances Dukes. The series is created and executive produced by Brancato and co-creator Michael Panes, with Brancato known for Godfather of Harlem and the award-winning Narcos.
The synopsis describes the show as a 'gritty and kinetic crime drama' centred on New York's infamously violent Irish gang, the Westies. Set in the early 1980s, the construction of the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Hell's Kitchen promises a financial windfall, but internal conflict between the younger and older generations threatens to ignite a powder keg, drawing in the FBI's investigation into the Italian mafia.
British actor Tom Brittney, known for his role as Reverend Will Davenport in Grantchester, is among the cast. The first season consists of eight episodes, premiering worldwide on MGM+ on 12th July with a two-part premiere. The trailer, released this week, promises action, corruption, and brutal violence, based on a real-life crime family.
Viewers have responded positively on X, with comments such as 'This looks like another great series' and 'Time to bring the fiddle to the Americas', referencing the Irish soundtrack. The Westies premieres Sunday, 12th July on MGM+ via Prime Video.
