Mayor Of Kingstown - What We Know So Far
The latest phase of the streaming wars is well underway, with various networks and studios launching their own streaming platforms that hope to compete with heavy hitters like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu. One of these new streaming services is Paramount+. The rebranded streamer — formerly known as CBS All Access — launched March 4 and parent company CBSViacom has already poured millions of dollars into original TV shows and movies. Some of those titles were available at launch, but the vast majority of them will roll out over the next couple of years.
One of the most anticipated TV shows on Paramount+ is Mayor of Kingstown, a crime drama about an important contemporary issue: America's prison system. It's also assembled an impeccable roster of talent both in front of and behind the camera, including Academy Award winners and nominees. Here's everything we know so far about the upcoming series Mayor of Kingstown.
When is the release date for Mayor of Kingstown?
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Paramount + hasn't determined a release date yet. It's still relatively early in the production process; the cast is still being decided on, and the start of production hasn't even been announced yet. Mayor of Kingstown star Jeremy Renner is currently in the middle of production on another TV project, a limited series about Hawkeye from the Avengers that will air on Disney+. Per ComingSoon.net, production on the Hawkeye series began in early December 2020 and is still ongoing. The show's co-creator Taylor Sheridan is also quite busy these days, with two separate Yellowstone spin offs announced for Paramount+, Yellowstone: 1883 and Yellowstone: 6666.
Whenever Mayor of Kingstown's premiere is announced, it will join a crowded field of original series from the streaming network. Paramount+ has announced 60 upcoming original TV shows, as Business Insider reports. The only one of those with an approximate release date is the Halo TV series, which will air in early 2022.
What is the plot of Mayor of Kingstown?
The show is set in the fictional town of Kingstown, Michigan, where "the business of incarceration is the only thriving industry." It follows the McLuskys, a powerful local family who control the town. The Paramount Network described the McLuskys as "power brokers between police, criminals, inmates, prison guards and politicians." The American prison system will be one of the major subjects of the series, and it will specifically tackle themes of systematic racism and inequality. One of the show's producers, Antoine Fuqua, described Mayor of Kingstown to The Hollywood Reporter: "The series offers a comprehensive look into the brutal prison system where sociopolitical issues run rampant. Prisons are a forgotten world to most of the population and yet represent a microcosm of society as a whole."
Corruption is another major theme of the show. The "mayor" mentioned in the show's title is also the eldest son of the McLusky family.
Who is in the cast of Mayor of Kingstown?
As mentioned, Jeremy Renner is the star of the series. He'll be playing Mike McLusky, the heir to the family dynasty. Renner has been cast in some of the biggest movie franchises in recent years, like The Avengers, Mission Impossible, and the Jason Bourne series. Mayor of Kingstown will be his first foray into television since he starred in The Unusuals, an ABC crime dramedy that aired on ABC in 2009. Renner has been nominated for two Academy Awards, for The Hurt Locker (2010) and The Town (2011).
As reported by Deadline, Dianne Wiest will be playing Miriam McLusky, the family matriarch and mother of Mike, as well as a teacher at the Kingstown Women's Prison. Wiest has won two Best Supporting Actress Academy Awards, for Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) and Bullets over Broadway (1994).
No further casting information is available at this time.