MGM+ Greenlights “Bosch: Start of Watch,” A New Prequel Series to the Iconic Detective Franchise

Today, premium linear channel and streaming service MGM+ announced the greenlight of Bosch: Start of Watch, a prequel series that will explore the origin story of Michael Connelly’s legendary detective Harry Bosch. The series stars Cameron Monaghan (Shameless, Gotham) as rookie cop Harry Bosch and Omari Hardwick (Star Trek: Section 31, Army of the Dead) as veteran officer Eli Bridges. The series will be available on MGM+.

Based on Michael Connelly‘s best-selling book series that also spawned Prime Video’s hit franchise, Bosch: Start of Watch takes viewers back to 1991 Los Angeles, following 26-year-old Harry Bosch during his earliest days as a rookie cop. The series will explore a city on the edge, teeming with racial tension, gang violence, and a fractured LAPD. Amid routine calls and growing unrest, Bosch finds himself drawn into a high-profile heist and a web of criminal corruption that will test his loyalty to the badge and shape his future as the detective who lives by the code, “Everybody counts or nobody counts.”

The series is produced by Fabel Entertainment. The series is co-created and executive produced by Tom Bernardo and Brian Anthony, with Bernardo serving as showrunner. Michael Connelly, Henrik Bastin, Jamie Boscardin Martin, and Jasmine Russ also serve as executive producers. Theresa Snider serves as co-executive producer for Hieronymus Pictures.

“We are thrilled to expand the Bosch universe with this compelling origin story that showcases how one of television’s most beloved detectives became the man we know today,” said Michael Wright, head of MGM+. “With Cameron Monaghan and Omari Hardwick bringing these complex characters to life, and the creative vision of Michael Connelly and our talented executive producers, Bosch: Start of Watch promises to deliver the gritty, authentic storytelling that honors the franchise’s legacy while opening an exciting new chapter.”

“I’m deeply grateful to Michael Wright and the team at MGM+ for championing this next chapter in Bosch’s journey with such remarkable care and integrity,” said Connelly. “Being able to see how Harry Bosch became the man we have loved for 10 seasons is a gift to me and his many fans. I can’t wait to dig in with Cameron and the writers to explore this uncharted character territory.”

“It’s a terrific privilege to be able to explore both the origins of this iconic character and the Los Angeles that formed him in the early 1990s,” said Bernardo. “In telling the story of a young Harry Bosch, we want to honor the faith of Michael Connelly’s legion of readers and the amazing audience that tuned into Bosch and Bosch: Legacy over the years. We’re excited to embark on this journey.”

“To get the opportunity to produce this show and shoot it on the streets of Los Angeles is a rare privilege these days,” said Bastin. “By filming in LA, we’ll be able to tap into the best creative talent this industry has to offer – and in doing so deliver a story about Harry Bosch that fans have longed for. Thanks to MGM+ for giving us the resources to make it happen, and to the California Tax Credit for bringing business back to LA!”

Bosch: Start of Watch represents MGM+’s dedication to creating television for movie lovers – classic Hollywood storytelling for a modern audience.

Cameron Monaghan, “Harry Bosch”

Cameron Monaghan has emerged as one of the most versatile actors of his generation, best known for his decade-long portrayal of Ian Gallagher on Showtime’s award-winning series Shameless, which earned him a Critics Choice Award nomination. He delivered a chilling dual performance as the Valeska twins on FOX’s Gotham, winning a Teen Choice Award for “Choice TV Villain,” and made a powerful mark in the Star Wars universe as Jedi Cal Kestis in the acclaimed video game franchise Star Wars Jedi, earning a BAFTA nomination for Best Performer in a Leading Role.

On film, Monaghan has built a diverse resume spanning major studio blockbusters and acclaimed independent films, including The Giver opposite Meryl Streep and Jeff Bridges, Vampire Academy, Click, and his breakout performance in Jamie Marks Is Dead. His television work includes roles in PBS’s Mercy Street, produced by Ridley Scott, and the animated/live-action-comedy Son of Zorn. Up next, Monaghan will appear in Disney’s highly anticipated TRON: Ares before stepping into the role of young Harry Bosch in MGM+’s Bosch: Start of Watch.

Character description: A stoic, unyielding young man, intensely observant. Harry is now a probationary patrol officer with the LAPD, young Harry possesses all the qualities that will come to mark his legendary career: he’s smart, relentless, determined, fiercely protective of the victims of crime.

Omari Hardwick, “Eli Bridges”

Omari Hardwick is a versatile actor, poet, and spoken-word artist whose career spans acclaimed television, film, and music. Fresh off the sci-fi adventure XENO (2025), Hardwick has built an impressive body of work including roles in Spike Lee’s Miracle at St. Anna, Kick-Ass, For Colored Girls, Sorry to Bother You, and Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead. His iconic portrayal of James “Ghost” St. Patrick in Starz’s global phenomenon Power (2014-2020) earned him multiple NAACP Image Awards and a NAMIC Vision Award, establishing him as one of modern television’s most magnetic leads. In Bosch: Start of Watch, Hardwick steps into the role of veteran officer Eli Bridges, a moral compass and mentor figure whose relationship with young Harry Bosch (Cameron Monaghan) lays the foundation for one of television’s most enduring crime legacies.

Beyond acting, Hardwick is also a Grammy-nominated spoken-word performer, recognized in 2025 for his album Concrete & Whiskey Act II Part 1: A Bourbon 30 Series, continuing to craft a legacy defined by bold storytelling and emotional intelligence across multiple creative mediums.

Character description: Training Officer Bridges is a Vietnam vet, a seasoned, salty, rough-around-the-edges kind of cop who mentors Harry through the mean streets of Los Angeles and the complicated world of the LAPD. Bridges is fighting a war on the streets and looking for soldiers, and they don’t come any brighter than Hieronymus Bosch.

Monaghan is represented by United Talent Agency, Amplified, and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher. Hardwick is represented by UTA and Sloane, Offer, Weber, and Dern. Casting by Seth Yanklewitz.

Bernardo is represented by Verve and attorney Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox, L.L.P.