'Power: Origins' – Starz orders prequel series to the Power franchise with MeKai Curtis returning as Kanan Stark

Starz has officially ordered Power: Origins, an 18-episode prequel series that will dig into the early days of Ghost and Tommy, the duo that built an empire in the original Power. This marks the fifth series in the expanding Power universe and the second prequel after Raising Kanan.

Sascha Penn, who created Raising Kanan, will return as showrunner, writer, and executive producer. MeKai Curtis will reprise his role as young Kanan Stark, a character he has portrayed throughout Power Book III: Raising Kanan, which ends with its fifth season in 2026.

The new series will focus on Ghost and Tommy’s climb through New York’s criminal world as teenagers, before they became household names in the franchise.

Casting for young Ghost and Tommy hasn’t been announced yet. Starz is calling this a “fun, rambunctious” chapter in the saga. Franchise producers Courtney A. Kemp, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, and Mark Canton are also on board.

Power: Origins to explore Ghost and Tommy’s teenage hustle in New York

Starz is treating Power fans to a detailed look at where it all began. The network’s newly announced prequel, Power: Origins, will take place years before Ghost and Tommy became kingpins. The series will show them as teenagers trying to break into New York’s drug scene, before either had a reputation.

While the series will be centered on those two, MeKai Curtis is the only confirmed cast member so far. He will return as a young adult Kanan Stark, bridging the events of Raising Kanan with this new chapter. Kanan’s involvement signals the prequel will maintain continuity with established franchise events.

Sascha Penn is running the show again. After four seasons of Raising Kanan and a fifth one already filmed for 2026, Penn is bringing his experience back to shape Origins. He will write and executive produce the series, continuing to build the early criminal foundations of the Power world.

The franchise’s other top names — Courtney A. Kemp, 50 Cent, Mark Canton, Chris Selak, and Pete Chatmon — are also producing the series under Lionsgate Television.

Tommy and Ghost haven’t been cast yet. However, the search is underway for two young actors to play teenage versions of the roles made famous by Joseph Sikora and Omari Hardwick.

The announcement did not give a release window, but development is happening fast, especially with Raising Kanan officially wrapping after Season 5. Given the timeline, Power: Origins could slide into the release gap in 2026 or early 2027, depending on post-production and casting.

The show will also revisit characters introduced in Raising Kanan Season 4, including Branford “Breeze” Frady, played by Shameik Moore. Breeze has been a name floating around the franchise since the original Power, and was finally shown onscreen this year. Moore’s return isn’t locked in, but depending on how Raising Kanan ends, his story could be continued in Origins as Ghost’s earliest connection in the game.

Kathryn Busby, Starz’s President of Original Programming, has stated the new prequel aims to answer long-running fan questions. Busby said, as per Deadline:

“Our fans have been asking for Ghost and Tommy’s origins story since we first met them in Power — and with the launch of this series, we’re delivering in a big way.”

Busby added:

“This marks an electrifying new chapter in the franchise’s evolution as we dive deep into the legacy of these iconic characters and the explosive moments that shaped their path.”

According to the logline, Origins will focus on the “audacity” of their rise. That suggests a different tone than Raising Kanan, possibly faster-paced and centered around bold moves and reckless decisions.

The Power franchise has been expanding aggressively since the original series ended in 2020. In addition to Power Book II: Ghost, Power Book IV: Force is set to end later this year with its third season. A sixth series, Power: Legacy, is in the works from Force producers Gary Lennon and Kendra Chapman. That spinoff will reportedly follow events after Force and keep the story moving in the present timeline.

Power: Origins is meant to go in the other direction. It will rewind everything to the beginning, when nothing was stable, and the legends hadn’t been built yet.

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