‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ Release Date and What the Cast Tells Us About Season 4

Power Book III: Raising Kanan is set to return next week, with Raquel Thomas, Kanan and the rest of the family in for a big surprise. The season 3 finale not only saw some major character deaths but fan-favorite Unique — played by Joey Bada$$ — also rose from the dead. What now?

Showrunner Sascha Penn and stars MeKai Curtis, Patina Miller, Malcolm Mays, London Brown and Joey Bada$$ spoke with CNET about season 4 and dropped hints at what’s to come for their characters. The new spinoff installment also sees Tony Danza’s return as Stefano Marchetti, Wendell Pierce and Erika Woods as Snaps and Pop, with cast newcomers Chris Redd as Early and Pardison Fontaine as B-Rilla.

Raq, Marvin, Lou and Kanan have no idea Unique is alive yet, so heading into season 4, it’s business as usual for the Thomas family. Kanan and his mother aren’t on the greatest terms, but at its core, the show is about his journey and the effect it has on his environment — and all the people in it. That effect will become more pronounced this time around.

“I think what we start to see in season 4 that’s different, is I do think that Kanan really starts to take steps toward being the guy that we see him become in Power,” said Penn. “You can’t go through everything this guy’s been through without getting a little harder, a little tougher, a little more cynical and frankly, a little more violent.”

Curtis added, “As Kanan discovers more about himself, as Kanan discovers more about the world around him, he discovers he’s more like his mother than ever, and he’s trying to combat that.”

Raq has her own battles this time, Miller shared that we will see a new side to her this season, which may surprise us. “There are going to be some big moments for her that she can’t just Raq her way out of,” she explained. 

“To see her have to navigate as someone who’s so used to being in control, to kind of lose a bit of control, and what that feels like, and how uncomfortable it is — I think will be really exciting for audiences to see this new side of Raquel. Because you’ve grown with her, you’ve watched her from 1 through 3 be so thorough and so together. What happens when she’s not as together? And how does she navigate relationships? What causes her to not have it together?”

What’s up with Unique, Marvin, Lou-Lou and those Breeze rumors?

Conflict with Raq may not be the only thing in store for Kanan — or anyone else in the family’s orbit. Season 3’s final scene cuts to Unique standing over his dead brother Ronnie’s body, a callback to when Ronnie beat him and left him for dead. He saw Kanan and Raq enter and exit that building where the skirmish (and setup) with Ronnie went down. But his injuries will affect his actions and thought processes, which could be dangerous for everyone. According to Joey Bada$$, we will see a different version of him. “This is not the typical Unique. He’s operating from a whole different side of his brain, which is just way more erratic.” 

Viewers are used to seeing Unique carry himself in a smooth and strategic manner, but the switch-up was a welcome challenge for the rapper-actor. “It’s almost like having a new character, but I looked at it more so as an alter ego of this character that already existed,” said Bada$$. 

There’s really never any leisure time in this show, and rest assured, everyone in the Thomas family will be busy. There are dealings with Stefano, law enforcement’s never-ending hunt, family drama, romance and a few possible new business ventures. Marvin and Jukebox’s relationship is tested, but Brown says his character realizes this season that his daughter is “more like him than not.” Fans will see him “begin to make strides to hopefully prevent her from going into a path that he didn’t really sign up for.” In addition, Raq’s oldest brother will dabble in some risk-tasking that benefits him. 

As for Lou — Raq’s youngest sibling and Kanan’s other uncle — he still wants to work in music, opening the way for a possible partnership with B-Rilla, played by Pardison Fontaine (also known as Pardi). Mays said there are some fun scenes with the rapper and the series also has a love interest for Lou that turns his story arc up a bit compared to other characters. “I feel like my world is the flyest,” he said.

I asked Penn if he wanted to put rumors to bed about Breeze showing up this season, and he jokingly — but politely — declined. However, he shared that they set out to tell certain stories in Raising Kanan and always “leave it somewhat nebulous and cryptic.” While that’s not a firm no, he added, “What I will say is that I think we deliver in terms of the story we’re telling. And I think the fans will be satisfied with what they see and how season 4 plays out.” Interpret that as you will. 

When to watch Raising Kanan on Starz

Tune in for the season 4 debut of Power Book III: Raising Kanan on Friday, March 7 at midnight ET/9 p.m. PT on the Starz streaming app. If you’re subscribed to the linear channel, you can watch the premiere on Friday at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Starz costs $11 a month for a standalone subscription, and for a limited time, you can sign up for a bundle with Max through Prime Video. The streaming service often runs deals, so be on the lookout for discount offers ahead of Raising Kanan’s premiere in March.