- The premiere event brought together the cast, creators, and executives to bid farewell to the acclaimed crime drama.
- The final season promises a ‘reckoning’ for the characters, with suspenseful twists and emotional storytelling.
- The showrunner expressed gratitude to STARZ for allowing the creative team to conclude the story as intended.
The end of an era is officially on the horizon.
On Monday, June 8, STARZ hosted a red carpet premiere event in New York City to celebrate the fifth and final season of Power Book III: Raising Kanan. The event brought together cast members, creators, executives and fans for an emotional farewell to the acclaimed crime drama.
Held at The Times Center, the event welcomed a host of stars from the series, including Patina Miller, MeKai Curtis, London Brown, Malcolm Mays, Joey Bada$$, Hailey Kilgore, Shameik Moore, Tony Danza, Wendell Pierce, Erika Woods, Leslie Grossman and Joe Pantoliano. Creator, executive producer and showrunner Sascha Penn was also in attendance alongside executive producer Mark Canton.
Joining the cast were STARZ executives Jeffrey Hirsch, President and CEO of STARZ; Alison Hoffman, President of STARZ Networks; and Kathryn Busby, President of Original Programming at STARZ.
The premiere also served as a gathering place for members of the wider Power universe. Cast members from the upcoming spinoff Power: Origins, Spence Moore and Charlie Mann, attended the festivities, offering a glimpse at the franchise’s future even as Raising Kanan prepares to conclude.
Additional guests included Raising Kanan actor and Tony Award nominee Christiani Pitts, P-Valley star Gail Bean, Love Island season seven standout Chelley Bissainthe, actor Da’Vinchi and influencers Lou Young, Brittany Lynn and Candis Grace.
The evening celebrated not only the upcoming season but also the show’s lasting impact since premiering in 2021 as a prequel to the original Power series. Over four seasons, the drama has chronicled the rise of Kanan Stark and the complicated relationship between the young future kingpin and his mother, Raquel “Raq” Thomas.
Before attendees screened the season premiere, Busby took the stage to preview what fans can expect from the final chapter.
“‘Raising Kanan’s’ final season is a reckoning—for every character, every choice, and every consequence. The storytelling is a suspenseful whirlwind of emotion – from the first frame until the final scene – and it’s packed with the kind of twists that remind you exactly why audiences keep showing up,” she said.
Penn followed with remarks reflecting on the show’s five-season run and expressing gratitude to STARZ for allowing the creative team to bring the story to its intended conclusion.
“I also want to thank my friends at STARZ…five years of scripted drama doesn’t happen very often in our business anymore, and you guys let me tell and end this story in the way I wanted and I always envisioned, and that’s a big deal,” Penn said.
Penn also took a moment to recognize series lead MeKai Curtis, who has portrayed the younger version of fan-favorite character Kanan Stark throughout the show’s run.
“I just want to take a second here to acknowledge someone who, in many ways, had the toughest job of any of us, someone who had the biggest shoes to fill. His name is MeKai Curtis, and he didn’t just fill his shoes, he made them his own,” Penn said.
The showrunner concluded his speech with a heartfelt reflection on the people and experiences that helped shape the series.
“We honor the people we love and lost with the passion and dedication and creativity and hard work that we put into this.”
According to attendees, the premiere episode delivered no shortage of surprises.
The screening reportedly left the audience gasping throughout as major twists unfolded on screen. By the episode’s conclusion, the room erupted into applause, signaling excitement for the season ahead.
Afterward, the celebration continued at BOOM at The Standard, where guests enjoyed themed cocktails, reflected on the show’s legacy and danced to a lively DJ set from Errol Chatham. Attendees also gathered to cheer on the New York Knicks during Game 3 of the NBA Finals, adding a distinctly New York touch to the night’s festivities.
The fifth and final season of Power Book III: Raising Kanan premieres Friday, June 12. New episodes will stream weekly on Fridays through the STARZ app and all STARZ streaming and on-demand platforms.
The season will also air on STARZ at 8 p.m. ET/PT in the United States, marking the beginning of the final chapter in Kanan Stark’s journey.
