This holiday season, fans will get to unwrap the final installment of the Best Man franchise in the comfort of their own living rooms. Director Malcolm D. Lee will deliver The Best Man: Final Chapters to Peacock TV in December.
In the eight-episode series set post-pandemic, the old Mount Vernon College crew will reunite for Quentin’s wedding (Terrance Howard) to his fiancé Xiomara Amani (Nicole Ari Parker). However, amid the bliss will be a little drama. A film deal is on the table for Harper’s (Taye Diggs) controversial novel, Unfinished Business, and it could very well polarize the group once again.
As fans know, the book was a major disruptor in the original 1999 film. The discovery that it was based on Harper’s real experiences and friends sent a shockwave through the group. The most stunning revelation was that the author had a one-night stand with his best friend Lance’s (Morris Chestnut) girlfriend turned fiancé Mia (Monica Calhoun). It nearly severed the men’s friendship and canceled the couple’s wedding. Despite the healing that took place leading up to Mia’s untimely death in 2013’s The Best Man Holiday, the resurrection of the book’s subject matter on the big screen may reopen old wounds.
In addition to the Unfinished Business quandary, viewers will also witness the comedy and conflict amongst the rest of the group which includes Nia Long (Jordan), Melissa DeSousa (Shelby), Harry Perrineau (Julian), Regina Hall (Candy), and Sanaa Lathan (Robin). Although it hasn’t been confirmed how the memory of Mia will appear in a flashback, the audience will see Lance navigating his post-football career and widowhood as best he can.
The Final Chapters showcases the group’s midlife metamorphosis, as they navigate friendships, relationships, parenthood, and careers. This is the last hurrah for the beloved crew. Malcolm D. Lee, the writer/director of The Best Man, decided this was the best time to revive the franchise one last time.
Lee shared, “Given the moment that we are in, this is the perfect time to revisit Harper, Lance, Murch, Quentin, Jordan, Robyn, Candace, and Shelby and go on the wild, emotional, hilarious ride with them, as they deal with their own journeys through parenting, activism, old love, new love and the complexities of being Black in 21st Century America.”
He continued, “It is now more than ever that the world is craving to see what I’ve worked my entire career to show: relatable, universal stories about Black people and their humanity. It has always been my mission to make African American stories mainstream. It is my life’s work to tell stories that include and elevate us. And I hope my legacy will be that I represented for us.”
All eight episodes will be available on December 22. Will you be watching?
Check out the trailer to see what’s in store.