Leaning once again into his forte of playing authoritative characters, JK Simmons is set to star as the lead in The Westies. The crime series is created by Chris Brancato, who created Narcos.

According to Deadline, Simmons steps into the shoes of Eamon Sweeney, the brutal leader of The Westies, an Irish-American criminal organisation, in the series, which is set around the construction of the Jacob Javitz Convention Centre, Hell's Kitchen, New York, USA. Being outnumbered by the Five Families of the Italian Mafia, the series focuses on the Hornet's nest and includes conflicts within The Westies, the Mafia, and an FBI investigation.

Brancato adds The Westies into his filmography alongside other crime shows like Narcos and Godfather of Harlem. He serves as a showrunner for The Westies and serves as an executive producer with Micheal Panes. The series is set to begin production in Toronto in July, with an eight-episode series order.