There’s good news and bad for fans of Power Book III: Raising Kanan.
Breeze is in, an original character is out, and the Starz crime drama will end after its upcoming 5th season.
Following the season 4 finale, which premiered at midnight on Friday, the network announced Shameik Moore will be front and center next season as Branford “Breeze” Frady.
In a statement released by Starz, Moore predicted the season 5 storyline will take viewers on a “wild ride.”
“The Power Universe fans have been patiently anticipating this moment and I’m honored to step into the iconic role of Breeze,” said Moore.
“I jumped into a story that is already alive with such strong characters, but it was a fun challenge to find Breeze’s unique identity, and I can’t wait for fans to see how Breeze will shift dynamics in the story. It’s gonna be a wild ride,” he added.
Related: Here’s What We Know About Chicago-Set ‘Power Book IV: Force’ Season 3
Longtime viewers have heard the name “Breeze” since the first season of the original Power series. Known as a drug kingpin from Jamaica, Queens, Breeze employed a young Kanan Stark, as well as James St. Patrick and Tommy Egan as corner boys.
Set in Southside Jamaica, Queens in the 1990s, prequel series Power Book III: Raising Kanan charts the early years of Kanan Stark — the character first played by franchise executive producer Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson on Power.
MeKai Curtis plays the titular role alongside Tony and Grammy Award winner Patina Miller as his drug-dealing mom Raquel “Raq” Thomas.
In the season 4 finale, street legends “Snaps” (Wendell Pierce) and “Pop” (Erika Woods) introduced Kanan (MeKai Curtis) to their nephew, Breeze, anticipating a new partnership opportunity between the young men.
In a shocking plot twist, the episode saw a main character killed off. That death, plus news that the show is ending made the series a top trending topic Friday on X.
But in a statement, series creator, executive producer, writer and showrunner Sascha Penn said he never planned for the drama to air longer than five seasons.
“It was always my intention that Raising Kanan would run for five seasons, and thanks to my friends and partners at Starz and Lionsgate, as well as the incredible cast, crew and writing staff, I’ve been able to tell the entirety of the story I set out to tell way back in 2019,” said Penn.
“Having said that, with the table we’ve set in this season finale and the inevitable introduction of Breeze, there is still an exceptionally intense and action-packed season left for the viewers to experience, and I assure you that the stakes for Kanan and the entire Thomas family have never been higher,” Penn added.
The Power universe series is executive produced Courtney A. Kemp through her production company End of Episode, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson through G-Unit Film and Television, and Mark Canton through Canton Entertainment. Chris Selak also serves as an executive producer.
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