(OWN)
The end is near for the Greenleaf TV series but, the story may continue. OWN has announced that the fifth and finals season of Greenleaf will debut on Tuesday, June 23rd at 9:00 PM. The channel has also revealed that there’s a new spin-off series in the works.
A megachurch drama, Greenleaf season four starred Keith David, Lynn Whitfield, Lamman Rucker, Kim Hawthorne, Lovie Simone, Merle Dandridge, Desiree Ross, Deborah Joy Winans, Tye White, Rick Fox, Beau Bridges, and Oprah Winfrey. The story centers on the Greenleaf family and their Memphis congregation. In the fourth installment, the Greenleafs tried to remain a united front against the threat of losing Calvary to Bob Whitmore (Bridges) and Harmony & Hope Ministries. They’re keeping secrets though, and those secrets threaten their bond.
Here’s the OWN announcement about season five and the spin-off, as well as teaser videos for both projects:
OWN: OPRAH WINFREY NETWORK DEVELOPING ‘GREENLEAF’ SPIN-OFF FROM LIONSGATE
FIFTH AND FINAL SEASON OF HIT DRAMA TO PREMIERE TUESDAY, JUNE 23 AT 9 PM ET/PTOWN: Oprah Winfrey Network is in development with Lionsgate on a spin-off of the network’s critically-acclaimed hit megachurch drama “Greenleaf” from award-winning creator and executive producer Craig Wright. The network revealed the development news with a spin-off teaser spot.
From the inception of “Greenleaf,” Wright and executive producer Oprah Winfrey envisioned that the story told by the Lionsgate and Harpo Films produced series would span five seasons, with Wright contemplating a spin-off. These plans accelerated when fans expressed their support for the show after its final season was announced, reaffirming its passionate fan base.
The spin-off would join OWN’s lineup of prestige scripted programming including the recent Peabody nominated “David Makes Man” from Oscar-winner Tarell McCraney (OWN’s first Peabody recognition), acclaimed filmmaker Ava DuVernay’s popular drama “Queen Sugar” and anthology series “Cherish The Day,” and Tyler Perry’s long-running “The Haves and the Have Nots.”
“Greenleaf” takes viewers into the unscrupulous world of the Greenleaf family and their sprawling Memphis megachurch, where scandalous secrets and lies are as numerous as the faithful. The series stars Merle Dandridge as Grace Greenleaf; Keith David as Bishop James Greenleaf; Lynn Whitfield as Lady Mae Greenleaf; Kim Hawthorne as Kerissa Greenleaf; Lamman Rucker as Jacob Greenleaf; and Deborah Joy Winans as Charity Greenleaf-Satterjee. “Greenleaf’s” fifth and final season will premiere on Tuesday, June 23 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
“Greenleaf,” which originally premiered on OWN in June 2016, recently won the 2020 NAACP Image Award for “Outstanding Drama Series,” and series star Lynn Whitfield was named Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for the second year in a row. The “Greenleaf” Soundtrack Volume Two was named Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album (Traditional or Contemporary) by the NAACP Image Awards in 2018. The series has also been recognized by the Alliance for Women in Media’s Gracie Allen Awards and by the Black Reel Awards for Television.
During its fourth season on OWN (Sept 3-Nov 5, 2019), “Greenleaf” was the #1 original scripted series on ad-supported cable for African American women and total viewers, and was also the #4 original scripted series on ad-supported cable for all women 25-54, leading OWN to be Tuesday night’s #1 cable network among African American women, households and total viewers.
“Greenleaf” is produced for OWN by Lionsgate in association with Harpo Films and Pine City. Executive producers are Oprah Winfrey, Craig Wright, Clement Virgo, and Kriss Turner Towner.
Never lose faith. #Greenleaf returns Tuesday, June 23 at 9|8c. pic.twitter.com/Tug1G5KsGB
— Greenleaf OWN (@GreenleafOWN) May 19, 2020
Hallelujah 🙌🏾 #Greenleaf pic.twitter.com/AhrrYB101k
— Greenleaf OWN (@GreenleafOWN) May 19, 2020
What do you think? Do you like the Greenleaf TV series? Will you be watching season five? Would you tune in for a spin-off?