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Based on the real-life story of Harlem gangster Bumpy Johnson (Forest Whitaker), the TV Series, Godfather of Harlem is set in the early 1960s and follows Bumpy after returning home after a decade-long prison stint. Determined to regain his footing in Harlem, he must contend with a very different neighborhood than the one he left behind and the ever-powerful Italian mob.

MGM+ just dropped the trailer for Godfather of Harlem Season 3, and it showcases Bumpy at a crossroads.

Forrest Whitaker as Bumpy Johnson and Ilfenesh Hadera as Mayme Johnson sitting at their living room table in 'Godfather of Harlem'
Forrest Whitaker as Bumpy Johnson and Ilfenesh Hadera as Mayme Johnson in ‘Godfather of Harlem’| MGM+

‘Godfather of Harlem’ Season 3 will debut Jan 15 on MGM+

Godfather of Harlem will return at the top of the year to MGM+ (formally known as Epix). The series is set to debut new episodes beginning Jan. 15, 2023. This time, Bumpy will see that his grip on Harlem, which he worked so tirelessly to rebuild, is fading.

In addition to Whitaker in the titular role, the rest of the robust cast includes Vincent D’Onofrio, Ilfenesh Hadera, Lucy Fry, Antoinette Crowe-Legacy, Whoopi Goldberg, and Giancarlo Esposito.

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The Season 3 trailer reveals a lot about what’s coming

The trailer for Godfather of Harlem reveals that Bumpy is at a crossroads. Now that his dream of 10 Harlems is dead, he finds himself at the mercy of the Italian mob once again. Moreover, the Cuban Mafia, which has taken over Spanish Harlem is also proving to be quite problematic.

The official synopsis for the season reads,

Season Three will find Bumpy Johnson continuing to battle for control of Harlem, with other aspirants to the throne, namely the Cuban Mafia from neighboring Spanish Harlem. Taking on the Cuban mob will put Bumpy, his loved ones, and his community in the crosshairs of not only the rival Italians, but ruthless Latin assassins and, ultimately, the CIA. Godfather of Harlem is a collision of the criminal underworld and the civil rights movement during one of the most tumultuous times in American history.

Nigél Thatch will no longer play Malcolm X on ‘Godfather of Harlem’

In addition to seeing Bumpy at a crossroads, there will be a major cast change in the third season of Godfather of Harlem. Nigél Thatch, who portrayed the iconic Malcolm X for the first two seasons of the series, has stepped away from the role. Thatch also portrayed the human rights activist in Ava DuVernay’s 2014 Oscar-nominated film Selma.

According to Deadline, Jason Alan Carvell will take on the role from Season 3 moving forward. There is no word yet on why Thatch took a step back, but in Season 3, fans will watch Malcolm X, who has now left the Nation of Islam, travel the world for Black political advancement.

All the while, he will be in the crosshairs of the NYPD, FBI, and CIA.

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