“Tulsa King” is heading back to New York — and the show is doing it by sending its lead character there instead. Paramount+ has renewed the Sylvester Stallone series for a fifth season, and the production is moving from Georgia to the Big Apple for the storyline. The renewal comes ahead of the Season 4 premiere on Oct. 16.
The show’s premise is a gangster returning to his old town after years away. Now the show itself is doing the same thing, relocating its base of operations to the city where its main character grew up. It is a funny inversion: the story about a man coming home is being made in a new place, while the character’s history stays firmly rooted in the one he left behind.
The Cast Expansion
Scarlet Rose Stallone, Stallone’s daughter and the actress who plays Spencer on all four seasons, has been promoted to series regular. That is a significant upgrade for her role, and it signals that Spencer will be a bigger part of the story as the series moves forward.
Four new faces are also joining the cast in series regular roles:
- Erik Palladino, known for “I Play Rocky”
- Glenn Fleshler, known for “Billions”
- Anthony Skordi, known for “The Last Frontier”
- Nickola Shreli, known for “Power Book IV: Force”
These additions give the show a fresh set of characters to work with as it enters its final stretch. The move to New York means the show can now draw on the city’s own underworld for its stories, rather than relying on the setting that defined the first four seasons.
Why the Move Happens Now
The decision to relocate is partly practical. Recent improvements to New York’s state tax incentive have made it one of the most cost-friendly places to shoot in the world. That has drawn film and TV projects to the state, and “Tulsa King” is following the money.
But the move also fits the story. Dwight “The General” Manfredi, the character played by Stallone, is originally from New York before he was exiled by his mob associates to Tulsa. Season 5 will see him returning to his mafia roots, and shooting in the city where those roots were planted makes narrative sense.
The show has always been about a man out of place. In Season 5, that theme becomes literal: the production is leaving its current home to return to the place where its central story began.
What the New York Officials Said
Hope Knight, the CEO and commissioner of New York’s economic growth agency, Empire State Development, welcomed the show to the state. She spoke about the benefits of filming in New York, noting that the state offers world-class talent, iconic locations, and a Film Tax Credit Program that delivers real jobs and investment for New Yorkers.
“We’re excited to welcome the cast and crew of ‘Tulsa King’ to New York State for its fifth season,” she said.
Drew Brown, EVP of physical production at Paramount TV, also addressed the move. He praised the work the show has done in Georgia while acknowledging that New York is now the place where the next chapter will be shot.
“We are thrilled to bring fans even more of this incredible series, and to be shooting the next season of ‘Tulsa King’ in New York, where Dwight Manfredi’s story will continue to evolve,” Brown said. “We’re proud of the work we’ve done in Georgia, and it remains an important venue for us.”
The Season 4 Lineup
Season 4 premieres on Oct. 16, and it brings a strong supporting cast alongside Stallone. Martin Starr, Jay Will, Vincent Piazza, Annabella Sciorra, Chris Caldovino, McKenna Quigley Harrington, Frank Grillo, Mike “Cash Flo” Walden, James Russo, Kevin Pollak, Neal McDonough, Garrett Hedlund and Dana Delany round out the main ensemble.
Gretchen Mol also joins the cast for Season 4 as a series regular.
The move to New York changes the scenery but not the stakes. Manfredi’s return to his old town is a personal journey, and the show’s producers want to capture that on location rather than on a soundstage.
The Creative Team Behind It
Terence Winter is the head writer of “Tulsa King.” He executive produces alongside Sylvester Stallone, David C. Glasser, Ron Burkle, David Hutkin, Bob Yari, Thomas Kelly and Keith Cox. The series is produced by Paramount Television Studios and 101 Studios.
The creative team has kept the show grounded in its crime drama roots while letting Stallone’s performance carry the emotional weight. The fifth season will test whether the show can sustain that balance across a new setting.
Key Facts Box
- Premiere: Season 4 begins Oct. 16 on Paramount+
- Location: Season 5 shoots in New York City
- Cast additions: Scarlet Rose Stallone promoted to series regular; Erik Palladino, Glenn Fleshler, Anthony Skordi and Nickola Shreli join as series regulars
- New York incentives: Recent improvements to the state tax incentive made New York one of the most cost-friendly places to shoot in the world
- Creative team: Head writer Terence Winter; executive producers include Stallone, Glasser, Burkle, Hutkin, Yari, Kelly and Cox
The renewal news arrives as the show prepares for its fourth season, and the move to New York is a statement about where the story is headed. The show has spent four seasons establishing its world in Tulsa, and now it is expanding that world to its original source.
What We Make Of It
The move is a bold one for a show that has found its identity in a particular place. The show has built its reputation on the setting that defined the first four seasons. Moving to New York opens up new possibilities without necessarily diluting that identity.
Manfredi’s return to New York is a plot point that has been waiting in the wings since the show began. By making that return literal on screen, the show is giving itself a chance to explore the origins of its protagonist. The move also allows the show to tap into the rich history of organized crime in New York, a territory that has been mined by countless films and TV shows over the years.
The practical benefits are clear. New York’s tax incentives have made the city a cost-friendly place to shoot, and the show’s producers have seized the opportunity. The combination of creative alignment and financial advantage is a smart move for the streamer.
For Stallone, the move is a chance to revisit a character type he has played many times before. Manfredi’s return to New York gives the actor a chance to dig deeper into the origins of the gangster he has portrayed, and the show’s writers have the opportunity to explore the formative years that shaped him.
The show has built a loyal audience through its first four seasons, and the renewal signals that Paramount+ believes the story still has legs. The move to New York is a vote of confidence in the show’s ability to adapt to changing circumstances.
The move is a gamble, but it is an informed one. The show has established a consistent tone and a dedicated fanbase, and the move to New York is a natural evolution of that foundation rather than a radical reinvention.
Source material: “‘Tulsa King’ Renewed for New York-Set Season 5 as Four Join Cast,” Variety.
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