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"This is a company town, and the business is incarceration." That chilling line from the hit Paramount+ original series Mayor of Kingstown has echoed through every season, capturing the brutal reality of a city built on control, corruption and survival. As the series returns for its fourth season this October, Jeremy Renner reprises his role as Mike McLusky, the embattled power broker caught between law enforcement and criminal factions, whose grip on Kingstown is slipping as new threats arise. With the town in turmoil and loyalties tested, familiar faces like Bunny Washington are stepping into the spotlight.
Played with quiet intensity and raw power by British-Nigerian actor Tobi Bamtefa, Bunny has evolved from a lawn-chair philosopher to a pivotal force in the town's power structure. In this exclusive Q&A for View From the Peak, Bamtefa opens up about the emotional depth behind Bunny's stoic exterior, the shifting dynamics with Mike and why season 4 might be his most defining chapter yet.
Bunny has always been a commanding presence in Mayor of Kingstown. What aspects of his character are you most excited for fans to see evolve this season?
Last season, we saw him in the midst of an expansion. He takes huge risks which to others might seem like he's biting off more than he can chew. I'm looking forward to seeing fans experience the weight of that and what it means for him and how he grows through it.
The relationship between Bunny and Mike has been central to the show since the beginning, and last season we saw that trust tested. How does that dynamic develop or shift this season, especially as new threats emerge?
There's a line in season 2, episode 2 between Bunny and Mike on the rooftop which encapsulates the season for me, "Just when you think this can't get any worse, this MF finds a way." It is in the midst of these ever increasing high stakes that we see why these two people are friends in season 4.
Last season Bunny had to take decisive action against Konstantin's crew, even as tensions with Mike reached a boiling point. How did those choices shape Bunny's mindset going into the new season? What can we expect from his leadership now that the stakes are even higher?
The family he had sworn to protect was directly affected by his decisions. That haunts him even in the grimly accepted reality of his life. It forced him to really change how he operates. At first when I read it, he felt colder, guilt ridden and apoplectic. However, when you peel back a layer further, you realize he is actively going through grief but there is an awareness in his position that won't allow him enough time to metabolize the pain so he can only acknowledge and push forward with it. The goal has always been to protect his family. In season 4, it's a MUST.
How was it stepping back onto the Mayor of Kingstown set for another season? Did anything about reuniting with the cast and crew feel different this time around, especially with the intensity of where the story is headed?
The last couple of seasons, we have filmed in the winter and personally, I have never experienced winter as shockingly brazen and bracing as Pittsburgh winters and every year despite knowing how cold it gets, it still confounds me like it's the first time. It's not the kind of cold you can brush off. As such, I interact with the weather as if it was a character in its own right because the weather is definitely interacting with me! It's high-stakes weather. There's no time to mess around so it helps me quickly get into a focus that the character Bunny embodies to survive and conquer the unrelenting severity of the environment and society he lives in.
Seeing my fellow cast and crew mates again is always fantastic so nothing different there. I always look forward to exchanging stories with everyone. It helps to take the edge off, especially when we have a group outing because it's a tense story we are telling and everyone is giving monumental efforts to tell it. What I also really love is coming back to an environment where everyone is contributing what they have towards the creation of work that we care for and are proud of. To see the positive impact it has on the community that welcomed us makes the experience that much sweeter and meaningful. Go Yinzers!!
The streets of Kingstown are calling. Don't miss the chaos when Mayor of Kingstown season 4 premieres October 26, exclusively on Paramount+.
Dakota Fanning in Vicious
“The box is my co-star in this film,” said Dakota Fanning, while on-set of the upcoming Paramount+ original horror film Vicious. “On the outside, it’s a simple wooden box until it begins asking for things. It’s very menacing in its simplicity,” Fanning added.
Directed and written by Bryan Bertino (The Strangers and The Dark and the Wicked), Vicious takes place in the span of one night as Polly (Fanning) receives a mysterious box from a stranger (Kathryn Hunter) who shows up on her doorstep. The stranger's directions for Polly are clear – place inside the box something you hate, something you need and something you love. The fear driven by the box’s supernatural presence and Polly’s own existential dread culminates in a film about what often scares us the most: ourselves.
“The movie is really a story about a woman who, over the course of one night, is forced to confront herself,” said Bertino, who says he drew inspiration for the story at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I was stuck with a lot of time on my hands thinking about uncomfortable moments, bad relationships, unhealthy friendships and how so often they were similar in terms of feeling stuck and locked in. I wanted to write a story that explored that in a visceral way.”
Upon signing on for the film, Fanning questioned whether she’d feel comfortable shooting a film almost exclusively focused on her character. “I wondered if it would feel lonely or isolating; I’ve never done something that’s pretty much just me,” she said. “Luckily, Bryan and I immediately got along. I [was] able to really lean on him in a way that you hope for as an actor.”
Vicious joins a chilling lineup of horror films on Paramount+, each delivering its own brand of terror. These haunting titles are part of the service’s unmatched horror offering, which leads the annual refresh of the Peak Screaming collection this Halloween season. From psychological thrillers to supernatural scares, Paramount+ is the ultimate destination for horror fans.
Open the box if you dare. Then stream Vicious starting October 10, exclusively on Paramount+.
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Fright-filled nights await as the annual Paramount+ Peak Screaming Collection is back, packed with bone-chilling thrills and eerie entertainment for the Halloween season. The hit collection offers iconic horror movies, big blockbusters, and Halloween episodes from fan-favorite series.
This year’s refreshed collection packs in the scares, screams, and seasonal fun with new and returning titles across expertly curated carousels. Brace yourself for chilling psychological and supernatural horror with our Peak Screams carousel, which includes titles like Heretic, The Exorcism, A Quiet Place, A Quiet Place Part II, and Get Out. Revisit iconic horror blockbusters in our Classic Halloween Movies carousel, featuring Friday the 13th, Scream, and Paranormal Activity. And for those looking for something the whole family can enjoy, Family Friendly Frights brings spooky fun for all ages with festive favorites and mystery-focused adventures.
No matter your fright level, there's something waiting to haunt your watchlist in the refreshed Paramount+ Peak Screaming collection.
EVERYTHING ELSE COMING TO PARAMOUNT+ THIS OCTOBER:
Wednesday, October 1 (Now Streaming)
THE SUBSTANCE (Movie)
In this twisted and stylish horror tale, aging TV fitness star Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) is unceremoniously replaced by a younger host. Desperate to reclaim her youth and fame, she turns to a mysterious black-market drug called The Substance—a serum that creates a younger, more perfect version of yourself. But there’s a catch: you must share your life, alternating bodies every seven days.
Her younger self, Sue (Margaret Qualley), quickly becomes a sensation, but the balance between the two spirals out of control. Fame, vanity, and identity collide in a grotesque showdown that’s as visually stunning as it is psychologically disturbing.
SURVIVOR (Series) – Season 49 Premiere
Thursday, October 2
NCIS: TONY & ZIVA (P+ Exclusive Series) – New Episode
Friday, October 3
SKY MED, Season 1-3 (Series) – Binge 🍁
Welcome aboard SkyMed, the adrenaline-fueled medical drama that follows a tight-knit crew of nurses and pilots flying air ambulances across remote Northern Canada. With life-saving missions, emotional twists, and breathtaking landscapes, SkyMed delivers high-stakes action and heartfelt storytelling at 20,000 feet.
Catch up on all three seasons now—Season 4 is currently in production.
PAW PATROL: VALIENTE – A TRACKER STORY (Special) 🍁
Sunday, October 5
TULSA KING, Season 3 (P+ Original Series) – New Episode
Tuesday, October 7
OZZY: NO ESCAPE FROM NOW (P+ Exclusive Documentary)
A raw and intimate portrait of rock legend Ozzy Osbourne, chronicling the final six years of his life. Directed by BAFTA-winner Tania Alexander and produced in collaboration with the Osbourne family, the film explores Ozzy’s physical and emotional battles following a devastating fall in 2019, his Parkinson’s diagnosis, and the cancellation of his farewell tour. Featuring candid interviews with Sharon, Kelly, Jack, and Aimee Osbourne, the documentary reveals how chronic pain and depression shaped Ozzy’s music and mindset, ultimately fueling the creation of two deeply personal albums.
With appearances from rock royalty including Tony Iommi, Slash, James Hetfield, and Billy Corgan, this feature-length film stands as a powerful tribute to Ozzy’s resilience, creativity, and enduring legacy.
RED ALERT (Limited Series)
The four-part scripted series RED ALERT reveals the real stories of ordinary people turned heroes, portraying the largest and deadliest massacre in Israel’s history, when more than 1,200 concert-goers, families and individuals near the Gaza border were murdered and 250 kidnapped. Drawing from the true experiences of those who survived, RED ALERT weaves their courageous personal stories into a cinematic narrative of the devastating terrorist attack that turned southern Israel into a war zone, testing humanity and forging heroism through chaos.
The series was created, written and directed by Lior Chefetz and comes from Keshet Media Group and Academy Award®-nominated Producer Lawrence Bender. All four episodes will premiere on Paramount+ on Tuesday, October 7.
THE UNINVITED (Movie)
Wednesday, October 8
SURVIVOR (Series) – New Episode
Thursday, October 9
NCIS: TONY & ZIVA (P+ Exclusive Series) – New Episode
Friday, October 10
VICIOUS (P+ Exclusive Movie)
When Polly (Dakota Fanning) receives a mysterious box from an unexpected late-night visitor, it comes with a simple instruction: place three things inside: something you need, something you hate, and something you love. What begins as a strange ritual quickly unravels into a waking nightmare. Trapped in a terrifying world where reality bends and memory betrays, Polly must navigate a series of impossible choices. As time slips away, she's forced to confront the darkness not just around her, but within her--before it consumes everything and everyone she's ever known.
PD TRUE, Season 4 (P+ Original Series) – Binge 🍁
Saturday, October 11
PARADE: QUEER ACTS OF LOVE & RESISTANCE (Movie) 🍁
Sunday, October 12
TULSA KING, Season 3 (P+ Original Series) – New Episode
Tuesday, October 14
RINGS (Movie)
Wednesday, October 15
SURVIVOR (Series) – New Episode
Thursday, October 16
SOUTH PARK (P+ Exclusive Series) – New Episode
NCIS: TONY & ZIVA (P+ Exclusive Series) – New Episode
Friday, October 17
THE UNHOLY TRINITY (P+ Exclusive Movie)
The Unholy Trinity promises to deliver an exciting blend of action, suspense, and western grit with an all-star ensemble ready to captivate audiences this summer. A tale of revenge, dark secrets, and buried treasures, the film is set against the turbulent backdrop of 1870s Montana. It picks up in the moments before the execution of Isaac Broadway, as he gives his estranged son, Henry, an impossible task: murder the man who framed him for a crime he didn't commit. Intent on fulfilling his promise, Henry travels to the remote town of Trinity, where an unexpected turn of events traps him in town and leaves him caught between Gabriel Dove, the town's upstanding new sheriff, and a mysterious figure named St. Christopher (Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Samuel L. Jackson and Brandon Lessard)
THE INVISIBLE MAN (Movie)
Sunday, October 19
ELSBETH (Series) – Season 3 Premiere
MATLOCK (Series) – Season 2 Premiere
TULSA KING, Season 3 (P+ Original Series) – New Episode
Monday, October 20
DMV (New Series) – Season Premiere
THE NEIGHBORHOOD (Series) – Season 8 Premiere
FBI (Series)- Season 8 Premiere
WATSON (Series) – Season 2 Premiere
Tuesday, October 21
CARRIERS (Movie)
NCIS (Series) – Season 23 Premiere
NCIS: ORIGINS (Series) – Season 2 Premiere
NCIS: SYDNEY (Series) – Season 3 Premiere
Wednesday, October 22
6 DAYS TO AIR: THE MAKING OF SOUTH PARK (Documentary, 2011)
SURVIVOR (Series) – New Episode
Thursday, October 23
GHOSTS, Season 5 (Series) – Season Premiere
NCIS: TONY & ZIVA (P+ Exclusive Series) – Season Finale
ELSBETH (Series) – New Episode
MATLOCK (Series) – New Episode
Friday, October 24
SHERIFF COUNTRY (New Series) – Series Premiere
Mickey Fox (Morena Baccarin), a straight-shooting sheriff in the small rural town of Edgewater, Calif., and stepsister of Cal Fire's division chief Sharon Leone, must balance the demands of law enforcement with the complexities of motherhood, community politics, and a past that won't stay buried.
BOSTON BLUE, Season 1 (Series) – Series Premiere
BOSTON BLUE Stars Donnie Wahlberg as he reprises his role as NYPD Detective Danny Reagan in a universe expansion of the long-running top drama BLUE BLOODS. In this new series, Reagan takes a position with the Boston Police Department and is paired with Detective Lena Silver (Sonequa Martin-Green), the eldest daughter of a prominent law enforcement family. The Silver family is comprised of Boston District Attorney Mae Silver (Gloria Reuben), Boston PD Detective Lena Silver, Police Superintendent Sarah Silver (Maggie Lawson), rookie cop Jonah Silver (Marcus Scribner) and renowned Baptist pastor Reverend Edwin Peters (Ernie Hudson). As Reagan settles into his new city, he also hopes to reconnect with his younger son, Sean (Mika Amonsen), who is beginning his own career in Boston.
FIRE COUNTRY, Season 4 (Series) – Season Premiere
Sunday, October 26
MAYOR OF KINGSTOWN, Season 4 (P+ Original Series) – Season Premiere
In season four, Mike McLusky (Jeremy Renner)’s control over Kingstown is threatened as new players compete to fill the power vacuum left in the Russians’ wake, compelling him to confront the resulting gang war and stop them from swallowing the town. Meanwhile, with those he loves in more danger than ever before, Mike must contend with a headstrong new Warden, Nina Hobbs (Edie Falco), to protect his own while grappling with demons from his past.
In addition to Renner and Falco, the series stars Frank Moses (Lennie James), Cindy Stephens (Laura Benanti), Ian Ferguson (series co-creator Canadian Hugh Dillon), Kyle McLusky (Taylor Handley), Deverin “Bunny” Washington (Tobi Bamtefa), Robert Sawyer (Derek Webster), Sawyer (Hamish Allan-Headley), and Evelyn Foley (Nishi Munshi). Catch up on previous three seasons streaming now on Paramount +.
THE ROAD (Series) – Series Premiere
From executive producers Taylor Sheridan, Blake Shelton, David Glasser, Lee Metzger and Keith Urban — who also serves as the series’ headlining superstar — THE ROAD follows 12 talented emerging musicians as they compete as opening acts for GRAMMY Award winner Urban at music venues across America
TULSA KING, Season 3 P+ Original Series) – New Episode
Monday, October 27
FBI (Series) – New Episode
WATSON (Series) – New Episode
DMV (Series) – New Episode
THE NEIGHBORHOOD (Series) – New Episode
Tuesday, October 28
BLAZE AND THE MONSTER MACHINES (Series) – New Episode Drop
DALLAS BUYERS CLUB (Movie)
NCIS (Series) – New Episode
NCIS: ORIGINS (Series) – New Episode
NCIS: SYDNEY (Series) – New Episode
Wednesday, October 29
INK MASTER (Series) - Series 17 Premiere
Produced by Truly Original, INK MASTER is hosted by lead vocalist for the pop/punk band Good Charlotte and co-founder of music companies Veeps and MDDN, Joel Madden, alongside returning judges including three-time INK MASTER champion DJ Tambe, Ryan Ashley, the first female tattoo artist to win the competition, and Nikko Hurtado, one of the world’s best color-realism artists.
In the new season of INK MASTER, 15 new artists compete as “hometown heroes,” vying for a $250,000 prize in the ultimate tattoo competition, and for the opportunity to put their hometowns on the map. With reputations and regional pride on the line, contestants will put their skills to the test in a series of epic, high-stakes challenges, proving their artistry and versatility to impress the judges. Only one will win the money and earn the title of “Ink Master.”
SURVIVOR (Series) – New Episode
Thursday, October 30
NCIS: TONY & ZIVA (P+ Exclusive Series) – New Episode
GHOSTS (Series) – New Episode
ELSBETH (Series) – New Episode
MATLOCK (Series) – New Episode
Friday, October 31
THIRST TRAP: THE FAME. THE FANTASY. THE FALLOUT (Series) – Binge
When 21-year-old Canadian William White posted a lip-synching video to TikTok, he hardly expected to become an internet sensation overnight. Sparking a “thirst trap” obsession with lovesick fans, the line between real connection and online fantasy was blurred as gained millions of fans. What first seemed like innocent interactions with self-formed fan-clubs for White, turned into jealousy, blackmail and betrayal by the fans who were determined to watch his every move online. With exclusive interviews with William's super fans, and William himself, THIRST TRAP is a powerful exploration of internet culture, obsession and identity in the modern age.
SHERIFF COUNTRY (New Series) – New Episode
FIRE COUNTRY (Series) – New Episode
BOSTON BLUE (Series) – New Episode
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