‘The Westies’ Creators Chris Brancato and Michael Panes Say They’ve Built Out a Longer Criminal-World Arc as MGM+ Prepares Season 1 Launch

Chris Brancato and Michael Panes, the creators behind MGM+’s upcoming gangster drama The Westies, said they are approaching the series with an end-to-end view of the story, even as Season 1 is set to debut next month. Speaking with Deadline ahead of the series’ Season 1 launch on July 12, Brancato and Panes described having the show’s criminal-soap-opera dynamics mapped out, with a focus on how the world could deepen over time.

The series, set in 1980s New York, centers on the kind of interpersonal power struggles and competing loyalties that long-running crime dramas rely on to keep audiences engaged episode to episode. In their comments, Brancato and Panes framed The Westies as a story they want to build out beyond a single season, treating the show’s setting and character relationships as the foundation for future installments.

Brancato and Panes told Deadline that they are “banking on MGM+” to provide the opportunity to expand the narrative. Their remarks emphasized the practical creative dependency of serialized television, in which the ability to sustain a larger arc often hinges on whether the platform orders additional episodes. Both creators indicated they have already laid groundwork for how the show would continue if it reaches a second season and beyond.

In discussing their approach, the creators said they plan to develop the “Westies world” rather than simply extend a small set of plot beats. Deadline reported that they talked about ways the series’ universe could be broadened if the program returns, suggesting a structure that would allow new tensions, locations, and storylines to build on earlier developments. The creators described this as part of their overall planning process, connecting Season 1’s setup to longer-range storytelling goals.

The creators’ remarks come as audiences focus on release schedules and platform availability, with MGM+ positioning The Westies as a new addition to its slate of scripted series. The July 12 premiere date places the show’s initial rollout inside a short window, meaning early audience response and internal performance metrics will likely shape how quickly decisions about further seasons can be made.

While The Westies is being framed as a Season 1 entry point, Brancato and Panes made clear that the show is not being developed only for a single run. According to Deadline, they discussed how they would “build out” the series if it reaches Season 2, tying their creative plans to the continuation of the franchise rather than to standalone storytelling.

As of Deadline’s report on July 2, MGM+ has set the next major step for viewers: the arrival of Season 1 on July 12. From there, the creators’ longer-term plan will depend on how the show performs and whether the platform greenlights additional episodes, which would determine whether the “world” they described can be expanded as Season 1 resolves its early arcs.

For viewers looking for more than a self-contained crime storyline, the creators’ comments report that The Westies is designed to sustain momentum beyond its initial batch of episodes. MGM+’s release timing and its subsequent renewal decisions will determine when the longer criminal-world arcs Brancato and Panes outlined can reach the screen.