FX and Kurt Sutter’s upcoming drama pilot Mayans MC, a Latino-centric spinoff set within the Sons of Anarchy universe, has located its first star: Edward James Olmos.
Per Deadline, James Olmos has come on board to play the part of Felipe Reyes, a former Mexican patriarch who is now a shadow of his former self. Aiming to keep his life – and more importantly, his son – on the straight and narrow, Mayans MC will chronicle Reyes’ day-to-day struggles as he tries to stay on the right side of the law. And if the core SOA saga is any indication, such an endeavor will be much more difficult than it seems.
Co-created by Sutter and writing partner Elgin James (Little Birds), Mayans MC will largely revolve around EZ Reyes, a young prospect of the Mayan Motorcycle Club, based on the border between California and Mexico. Plotting vengeance against the cartel, FX is still searching for their EZ Reyes. However, if the casting of Edward James Olmos is anything to go by, the network has surely drafted up a potential shortlist of candidates.
Mayans MC is expected to lens next month, though there’s currently no mention of when Sutter and Elgin James’ offshoot will race onto the small screen. Nevertheless, we fully expect Edward James Olmos to be the first of many casting additions to FX’s planned spinoff.
The big question now is, of course, whether the network will commit to a full series order. Sons of Anarchy was a trailblazer for FX and a bona fide ratings juggernaut, but at the very least, Mayans MC is off to a strong start what with Kurt Sutter, Elgin James and now James Olmos all on board.