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If you’re wondering why FX has been particularly quiet about its Sons of Anarchy spinoff, Mayans MC, Variety has revealed the somewhat troubling news that the network now plans to completely reshoot and partially recast its Latino-centric pilot.

Little is known about which actors FX plans to replace, but considering that Mayans MC is set to undergo major reshoots, we imagine this shake-up will be fairly extensive. Prior to Variety’s scoop, the spinoff pilot had cast JD Pardo as Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes, Edward James Olmos as EZ’s father Felipe, and Richard Cabral as Johnny “El Coco” Cruz – three key players of the Sons of Anarchy follow-up, so we assume their places aboard Mayans MC are relatively safe.

MC will only be partially recast, , so it’s more likely that FX will choose to overhaul the roster of ing players, one which previously featured Jacqueline Obradors, John Ortiz, Antonio Jaramillo, Clayton Cardenas, Sarah Bolger, Emilio Rivera, and Raymond Cruz. Behind the scenes, series creator Kurt Sutter has now stepped down as pilot director to focus on the script, and will instead hand over the torch to Norberto Barba, who comes on board as executive producer and director.

Here’s a reminder of what Mayans MC is all about:

Set in the aftermath of Jax Teller’s death at the end of SOA’s seven-season run in 2014, Mayans MC will focus on the struggles of Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes, a prospect in the Mayan MC charter on the California/Mexico border. EZ is the gifted son of a proud Latino family, whose American dream was snuffed out by cartel violence. Now, his need for vengeance drives him toward a life he never intended and can never escape.

Exactly how this will affect Mayans MC moving forward remains to be seen; at the very least, it would appear that FX’s spinoff was in desperate need of a tune-up. The Sons of Anarchy franchise will still continue, of course, but expect its Latino-centric offshoot to spend a little more time in the oven.

FX’s post-Jax Teller world is fast beginning to take shape, as THR brings word of two new recruits to Mayans MC: Carla Baratta and Maurice Compte.

The former is a Venezuelan actress who has signed on to play Carnalita, a series regular who, as a child, “watched her family die at the hands of the Galindo cartel. Now, streetwise and driven, she protects the lost children orphaned by cartel violence.” Maurice Compte, on the other hand, ought to ring a bell for Netflix subscribers after the actor’s performance in hit drama Narcos. Swapping Escobar for the open road, Compte has ed FX’s Sons of Anarchy spinoff as a “highly regarded DEA agent tasked to bring down Miguel Castillo, the Galindo Cartel kingpin.” Fuelled by his own personal demons, Castillo is pitched as an unhinged character relentless in his pursuit to bring down the cartel, so we’re hoping Mayans MC gets picked up to series so that fans can watch that arc unfold in full.

Here’s the official synopsis, courtesy of FX:

Set in the aftermath of Jax Teller’s death at the end of SOA’s seven-season run in 2014, Mayans MC will focus on the struggles of Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes, a prospect in the Mayan MC charter on the California/Mexico border. EZ is the gifted son of a proud Latino family, whose American dream was snuffed out by cartel violence. Now, his need for vengeance drives him toward a life he never intended and can never escape.

In light of today’s casting coup, Carla Baratta and Maurice Compte now a stacked ensemble comprised of the great Edward James Olmos, Jacqueline Obradors, John Ortiz, Antonio Jaramillo, Richard Cabral, Clayton Cardenas, Sarah Bolger, Emilio Rivera and Raymond Cruz.

Initially ordered to pilot late last year – one which SOA creator Kurt Sutter and Elgin James co-wrote – Mayans MC has already entered active production ahead of its planned premiere later in 2017. The big question now is, will FX hand out a series order for Elgin James’ Latino-centric spinoff? Time will tell.

Sons of Anarchy ended with a bang after seven seasons of carefully plotted motorcycle gang mayhem. Now, Kurt Sutter is heading back to the universe with Mayans MC, which deals with the Mayans Motorcycle Club. The Mayans were variously allied and opposed to the Reapers gang in the original show and were an interesting south of the border contrast to the California setting.

The new series will focus on prospective member Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes, the gifted son of a proud Latino family living near the California/Mexico border. It opens with his “American dream snuffed out by cartel violence,” propelling EZ towards crime as a way of enacting retribution. But once you’re in this lifestyle, there’s no escape.

It’ll be the third show for FX from creator Kurt Sutter, coming after global hit Sons of Anarchy and The Bastard Executioner. To ensure that Mayans MC successfully captures the aesthetics of modern Latino culture, Sutter has brought in Elgin James as showrunner. For those unfamiliar, James is the founder of Friends Stand United, which he describes as an anti-racist group designed to attack drug dealers and white supremacist Neo-Nazis, but which the FBI classify as a street gang. We’re guessing he knows something about causing a ruckus.

It’s as yet unknown precisely how Mayans MC will intertwine with the events of Sons of Anarchy, but first impressions look promising enough. Since Sons of Anarchy wrapped up, there’s been a sense of motorcycle emptiness to the TV listings that this show should help alleviate once it premieres later this year.

As always, we’ll bring you more on Mayans MC when we have it.

Casting on FX’s Mayans MC pilot is really beginning to heat up, what with Edward James Olmos, John Ortiz, Antonio Jaramillo, Clayton Cardenas and American Crime standout Richard Cabral all on board to star.

A spinoff to the Sons of Anarchy saga – it takes place soon after that heart-wrenching season 7 finale, nixing rumors that FX was actually rustling up a prequel – and we now have word that Mayans MC has located its female lead: Irish actress Sarah Bolger. Deadline has the scoop, confirming that the Into the Badlands star has landed the role of Emily, the “beautiful ‘guera’ [Mexican slang for ‘white girl’, or ‘light-haired girl’] next door and childhood sweetheart of EZ. But when Romeo departed, this Juliet didn’t unsheathe the dagger; she traded it in for diamond studs and a mansion on the hill.”

Bolger has signed on just in time, too, given production is expected to commence in the coming weeks. Should FX order Mayans MC to series, the Kurt Sutter and Elgin James will likely screech onto the small screen sometime this fall, but we’re still awaiting confirmation on that front.

Here’s the show’s official logline:

Set in the aftermath of Jax Teller’s death at the end of SOA’s seven-season run in 2014, Mayans MC will focus on the struggles of Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes, a prospect in the Mayan MC charter on the California/Mexico border. EZ is the gifted son of a proud Latino family, whose American dream was snuffed out by cartel violence. Now, his need for vengeance drives him toward a life he never intended and can never escape.

Also known for her performances across Once Upon A Time and The Tudors, Sarah Bolger is an exciting addition to the Mayans MC cast, and will no doubt bring a sense of nuance to Sutter’s ensemble.

From the courtrooms to the vast open roads, American Crime standout Richard Cabral has saddled up for Mayans MC, the Sons of Anarchy spinoff pilot incubating over at FX.

Per Deadline, Cabral is now set to star opposite Edward James Olmos, who climbed on board early last month to play a burnt out Mexican patriarch named Felipe Reyes. Other cast on board for the Latino-centric offshoot include John Ortiz, Antonio Jaramillo and Clayton Cardenas.

In of Cabral, the actor has signed on to play Johnny “El Coco” Cruz, a “full patch member of Mayans MC, Santo Padre. Former Army sharpshooter and weapons specialist, Johnny earned a section 8 for shooting a cigar out of his CO’s mouth from a half-mile away…while he was stoned.”

It’s a fairly meaty role for Richard Cabral to sink his teeth into, and after impressing across the first two seasons of ABC’s American Crime anthology series, we’re excited to see how the actor takes to such a dramatic change of scenery and tone. Also of note is the updated synopsis that was released alongside Cabral’s casting, which outlines Mayans MC as so:

Set in the aftermath of Jax Teller’s death at the end of SOA’s seven-season run in 2014, Mayans MC will focus on the struggles of Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes, a prospect in the Mayan MC charter on the California/Mexico border. EZ is the gifted son of a proud Latino family, whose American dream was snuffed out by cartel violence. Now, his need for vengeance drives him toward a life he never intended and can never escape.

FX’s Mayans MC pilot will lens sometime this month in Los Angeles when SOA creator Kurt Sutter will be calling the shots from behind the lens. Should the spinoff be ordered to series, it’ll likely race onto FX sometime this fall. American Crime, meanwhile, returns for another season of brooding drama on March 12th.

FX and Kurt Sutter’s 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.

More than a year after the offshoot was first teased, FX has today handed out a pilot order to Mayans MC, the Latino-centric spinoff rooted in the Sons of Anarchy universe.

Billed as an exciting new chapter in the SOA saga, Variety reports that plans are in place for the pilot to begin filming in March, when series stalwart Kurt Sutter will direct. An early advocate of the continuation, it’s understood Sutter will work from a script he himself penned with Elgin James, a scribe hand-picked for Mayans MC not only because of his success with Little Birds, but also because Sutter wanted to locate a strong, Latino voice to properly capture the spirit and legacy of the Mayans Motorcycle Club.

It’ll also take place in a post-Jax Teller world, thereby ruling out any form of cameo from Charlie Hunnam, focusing instead on EZ Reyes, a “prospect in the Mayan MC charter on the Cali/Mexi border, struggles with his desire for vengeance against the cartel, and his need for respect from the women he loves.”

At the time of going to press, FX is yet to commit to a full-season order for Mayans MC, but early signs are promising. Don’t forget that Sons of Anarchy was the network’s highest-rated drama more often than not, which is impressive in and of itself given its crowded 10pm slot. Of course, it leaves big boots to fill, so can the MMC rule the roost now that the SOA have effectively retired? Time will tell.

They were recurring characters all throughout Sony of Anarchy‘s 7-season run and now, the Mayans MC are almost ready to take center stage. We’ll be keeping tabs on FX’s budding spinoff as March draws near, so stay tuned more.

Nothing comes before familia, or so says the latest Instagram post from Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter.

Sutter, who continues to drop hints for the spinoff series Mayans MC, took to the social platform to unveil a photo of the new motorcycle club, though the writer-director stopped short of divulging any specifics – there’s still no mention of a premiere window, for instance.

The wheels have spun into motion, though, after Sutter hand-picked up-and-coming writer Elgin James (Little Birds) to help flesh out this “dark, visceral” family drama, one that’s poised to distance itself from SOA by telling life “through a Latino lens.” It’s been a long time coming, too, and Kurt Sutter has been fostering Mayans MC for the better part of three years. But by recruiting James, the franchise creator “wanted to find a strong, unique Latino voice. Because I didn’t think a white guy from Jersey should be writing about Latin culture and traditions. Elgin is that voice.”

Here’s the latest status report, via Instagram:

Nothing comes before familia. #MayansMC Repost @mayansmc_onfx

A photo posted by Kurt Sutter (@sutterink) on Nov 3, 2016 at 9:58am PDT

Kurt Sutter continues to fan the flames of his Sons of Anarchy spinoff, though there’s no mention of when the offshoot will grace FX Networks. Fans have waited for the Mayans MC with bated breath, and that anticipation has only grown steadily since the main show bowed out in 2014.

We’ll be keeping tabs on this one as it develops, and it’s likely that FX will announce something official – be that casting news or an official premiere date – early next year.

After seven gripping seasons on the small-screen, viewers bid farewell to the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club two years ago, as FX closed the book on its rip-roaring family drama with aplomb.

In those intervening years, mooted reports of a sequel or some form of spinoff began to gain serious traction, with fans chomping at the bit to learn any potential details regarding setting, characters and perhaps most important of all, which biker gang would anchor said continuation.

Answering most of those questions today, FX has officially nailed down plans for Mayans MC, a SOA offshoot billed as a “dark, visceral family drama that takes a new look at the most American of icons, the 1% outlaw, this time, reflected through a Latino lens.”

Series creator Kurt Sutter, who nurtured Mayans MC during its formative years in development, has also handpicked up-and-coming writer Elgin James, best known for 2012’s indie drama Little Birds. When quizzed about his decision to have James script the new, Latino-centric show, Sutter revealed that he “wanted to find a strong, unique Latino voice. Because I didn’t think a white guy from Jersey should be writing about Latin culture and traditions. Elgin is that voice.”

So far, so promising. FX didn’t disclose when exactly the Mayans MC would be racing on to the small-screen, though we imagine it won’t be until early 2017 as the network begins pulling together a creative team and, eventually, a core cast. Alas, as it turns out, Sons of Anarchy stalwart Charlie Hunnam may not be part of that ensemble after all.