For roughly a decade, Titus Welliver‘s been a steady presence on TV thanks to Bosch, which eventually blossomed into a full-fledged franchise. Now he’s slated to star as yet another law enforcement officer in the upcoming MGM+ series The Westies. The series officially premieres July 12, 2026, with MGM+ positioning it as one of the network’s biggest crime dramas of the summer.
Set in the 1980s, The Westies centers on the titular Irish-American gang as they deal with the construction of the Jacob Javitz Convention Center, increasing their fortunes. However, they face opposition from the FBI and the Mafia, respectively. What makes The Westies sound like a show to watch out for isn’t just Welliver’s presence, but the cast and crew he’s surrounded by — especially creator Chris Brancato, who’s responsible for working on several critically-acclaimed crime dramas.
J.K Simmons and the Creator of ‘Narcos’ Will Join Titus Welliver
While Welliver is playing NYPD officer Glenn Keenan, he’s not the lead of The Westies. That honor belongs to J.K. Simmons, who’ll play the leader of The Westies, Eamon Sweeney. Given Welliver and Simmons’ respective bodies of work, that’s a dynamic that’s ripe with conflict, especially with Welliver teasing that Keenan isn’t in the same league as Harry Bosch. He’s a beat cop. He still walks the streets, but he’s corrupt. His moral compass has been completely compromised,” Welliver told Collider when The Westies was first announced, saying that Keenan was also “a very, very complex and deeply nuanced character.”
Rounding out the cast is Sarah Bolger, who plays IRA operative Bridget Walsh, and Stanley Morgan as “chaos engine” Mickey Flanagan, in addition to Tom Brittney and Jessica Frances Dukes.
‘Bosch’s Titus Welliver Compares His New MGM+ Crime Series With J. K. Simmons to His Hit Prime Series [Exclusive]
Welliver is leaving Bosch behind.
The Westies was co-created by Chris Brancato and Michael Panes, with Brancato acting as showrunner. Brancato’s name should sound familiar; he co-created two popular crime dramas with The Godfather of Harlem and Narcos. Narcos is well-known for cementing Pedro Pascal as a leading man, while also detailing another major historical event: the hunt for Pablo Escobar (Wagner Moura). Godfather of Harlem is also a historical drama that chronicles the struggle of Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson (Forest Whitaker) to hold power in Harlem.
With Brancato’s track record of creating compelling drama and digging deep into historical events, The Westies has all the makings of a major hit — or at least a must-watch series.
Titus Welliver Was Attached to an ‘Equalizer’ Spin-off Before ‘The Westies’
Before The Westies, Titus Welliver made a guest appearance in The Equalizer, where he played former CIA operative Hudson Reed, an old friend of Robyn McCall (Queen Latifah). Reed was meant to get his own spin-off series, but CBS passed — and shortly after, The Equalizer was cancelled. It wasn’t the only time that Welliver was part of a series that was cut down in its prime, as Bosch: Legacy was also abruptly canceled after three seasons.
Despite this, Welliver has reprised his role of Bosch in Ballard and has even floated the idea of a Bosch movie. The Westies will give him the chance to show off another side of his acting talents, and pair him with an equally great actor in J.K. Simmons, so Bosch fans should definitely tune in when The Westies drops.
