The Chi is officially heading into its endgame.
The acclaimed drama from Lena Waithe is set to return for its eighth and final season on Friday, May 22, exclusively on Paramount+ (Premium Plan). A first-look teaser has also been released, offering a glimpse at the emotional final chapter of the series that has chronicled life, loss, and community on Chicago’s South Side.
Produced by 20th Television, the 10-episode farewell season will roll out weekly every Friday.
This time around, the stakes are higher than ever. As The Chi enters what’s being described as its coldest winter yet, characters are forced into life-or-death decisions that test loyalty, legacy, and survival. The season leans into the emotional weight the series has always carried—where joy and pain sit side by side, and every choice carries consequences.
Returning to lead the final chapter are Jacob Latimore, Birgundi Baker, Luke James, Shamon Brown Jr., Michael V. Epps, Hannaha Hall, and Jason Weaver, continuing the intertwined stories fans have followed for years.
The final season also brings in a wave of new and returning faces. New recurring cast members include Darryl Dunning II, Biko Eisen-Martin, Akilah A. Walker, Laila Odom, Liza Jessie Peterson, and Anthony B. Jenkins—each adding new tension and texture to the evolving South Side landscape. Fan-favorite guest stars are also set to return, including Rotimi, Kyla Pratt, Karrueche Tran, Punkie Johnson, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Reagan Gomez, Barton Fitzpatrick, and more.
Behind the scenes, the series is guided by creator and executive producer Lena Waithe under her Hillman Grad banner, alongside co-showrunners Justin Hillian and Jewel Coronel. Executive producers also include Common, Rick Famuyiwa, Aaron Kaplan, Resheida Brady-Anderson, Derek Dudley, Shelby Stone, Naomi Funabashi, Rishi Rajani, and James Rogers III, with Deondray and Quincy LeNear Gossfield returning to direct multiple episodes.
With production beginning in January, the final season is being positioned as the most emotionally intense yet—bringing together legacy, accountability, systemic tension, and deeply personal transformation.
All previous seasons of The Chi are currently streaming on Paramount+ with the Premium Plan.