BET+ Sets Fall Premiere Dates Including ‘Love & Murder: Atlanta Playboy’ and ‘First Lady of BMF: The Tonesa Welch Story’ (EXCLUSIVE)

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BET+ has set premiere dates for its fall slate of films and new and returning TV series.

First on the list is “Love & Murder: Atlanta Playboy,” a film series starring Taye Diggs. Part 1 debuts on Sept. 21 while Part 2 will arrive on the streamer a week later, on Sept. 28. The films follow an investigation into the murder of Lance (Diggs), a successful Atlanta businessman known both for revolutionizing the city’s 911 system and for being a womanizer. The cast also includes Keesha Sharp, Ciera Payton, Apryl Jones, Ernestine Johnson, Nicole Lyn, Robert Brown, Tye White, Anton Peeples, Yung Joc, Karlie Redd and Yandy Smith. Jaira Thomas directs scripts from Gregory R. Anderson. Mona Scott-Young and Eric Tomosunas executive produce, with co-executive producers including Lorisa Bates, Marvin Neil, Stephanie R. Gayle, Abbey MacDonald and Nick Roses and producers including Ron Robinson, Jimmy Watson, Ron Stodghill, Keith Neal, Brian Rikuda and Devin Griffin. The films hail from Monami Productions and Swirl Films.

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“First Lady of BMF: The Tonesa Welch Story” will premiere on Oct. 5. The biopic is Vivica A. Fox’s directorial debut and is inspired by the true story of Welch (Michelle Mitchenor), a middle-class woman raised in 1980s Detroit who ended up building a notorious drug empire. Tobias Truvillion, Jessica “Jess Hilarious” Moore, Kellie Williams, Leon, Tristin Fazekas, Faith Malonte and Daphnique Springs also star in the film, which was written by Gabrielle Collins and produced by MegaMind Media. Tressa Smallwood and Judge Greg Mathis executive produce.

Season 2 of “The Impact Atlanta” also premieres on Oct. 5, with new episodes dropping weekly. The unscripted series follows the personal and professional lives of a group of young influencers including Ari Fletcher, Arrogant Tae, Lakeyah, Dess Dior, Tuson Jewell and Jerrika “Karlae.” Morgan Miller serves as showrunner while executive producers include Kevin ‘Coach K’ Lee, Pierre ‘P’ Thomas and Brian Sher for Quality Films; and Karam Gill, Tara Long and Gennifer Gardiner for eOne. Connie Orlando, BET+’s executive vice president of specials, music programming and strategy, and Angela Aguilera, senior vice president of unscripted programming and development, also executive produce.

“Wake” premieres on Oct. 12. The film follows an MIT physics professor with severe narcolepsy who must venture out of the high-tech, protective video environment of her home when she believes the woman she’s fallen in love with has become endangered by a new, famous neighbor with a violent and criminal past. Shoniqua Shandai, J. Alphonse Nicholson, Parker McKenna Posey and DeRay Davis star.
Erik White directs. Executive producers include Tracey Edmonds for Edmonds Entertainment and Chuck and Bree West for Octet Productions.

“God’s Grace: The Sheila Johnson Story” premieres on Oct. 19. The biopic tells the story of Sheila Marie Johnson (Demetria McKinney), who had to retire from the Air Force at age 43 after being diagnosed with stage IV metastatic breast cancer. She later went on to found an advocacy group to support and empower Black women and men diagnosed with the disease. Along with McKinney, Drew Sidora, Michael Beach and DeVon Franklin star. Charmin Lee directs a script from Angela Burt-Murray, and the film is produce by MarVista.

“The Despaired” premieres on Oct. 26. In it, a grieving mail carrier finds a mysterious letter that resurrects her husband from the dead, and must race against time to make three sacrifices before he’s banished to the abyss for eternity. Denise Boutte, Drew Sidora, Jared Wofford, Jon Avery, TC Carson, CJ Sykes, Jason Louder, Tom Carr and Stevie Baggs star. Jean-Pierre Chapoteau, and wrote the film alongside Jennifer Pessima, who produces alongside Blueshore Capital and Levl Studios.

Also on Oct. 26 is the premiere of “Stay Out,” in which businessman Donovan Jones, who learns that his late aunt and uncle made him the sole beneficiary in their will. When he travels to their estate, he learns that his uncle — who practiced black magic — was brutally murdered and will now possess
Donovan to avenge his own death. The cast includes Kareem J. Grimes, Dane DiLiegro, Caylee Cowan, Jade Harlow, Christopher Sky, Paris Bravo, Desiree Mitchell, Jhone Y. Lucas, Phrederic Semaj, April Hale, Justin Safier, Lindsay Diann, Caitlin O’Connor, Paris Dylan, Chris Moss, David Josh Lawrence, Emelina Adams, Christian Howard, Mike Ferguson, Dale Resteghini and Janessa Morgan. Anthony D. Bell and Quinn Early wrote the film, which is diercted by Jared Safier. Executive producers include Justin Safier, Jeremy Hirsch, Anthony D. Bell, Dale Resteghini and Kevin Weisberg while Jared Safier, Damien Douglas, Matt Macur, Lenny Vitulli, Thomas Walton, Kareem J. Grimes and Erica Peeples produce and Biajani Sheena Marrero and Anthony De Las Alas serve as associate producers.

“Kingdom Business” returns for its second season on Nov. 2, with new episodes dropping weekly. Set within the gospel music industry, Season 2 sees the Jordan family fight for their legacy, their record label and their place in the church after being disgraces by a scandal. Series regulars include Yolanda Adams, Serayah, Chaundre Hall-Broomfield, Michael Jai White and Michael Beach. John J. Sakmar and Kerry Lenhart created and showrun the series, with other writers including Ruth Ferrera, Corey Moore, Jasmine Swift and Sara Ray. Neema Barnette, Mary Lou Belli, Oz Scott and Terri J. Vaughn direct.
The series’ music is written by Warryn Campbell and Kirk Franklin. Alongside Sakmar and Lenhart, executive producers include Dr. Holly Carter, DeVon Franklin, Kirk Franklin, Michael Van Dyck, Deb Evans, and Ferrera co-executive produces while Keesha Brickhouse and Jim Bigwood serve as producers. Dae Light Media, Relevé Entertainment, Franklin Entertainment and FoYo Soul
Entertainment produce.

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