June 30, 2025
Malcolm D. Lee talks about extending ‘The Best Man’ universe and how each character has ‘more story to tell.’
Malcolm D. Lee’s artistry is ingrained into the fabric of Black culture. Lee created “The Best Man,” and it is now an over $100 million franchise. The franchise has been extended into a television series and a book trilogy, titled “The Best Man Unfinished Business.”
The story of Harper, Robin, Jordan, Quentin, Murch, Lance, Mia, Candice, and Shelby has been ongoing for 25 years. The Amazon series “The Final Chapters” was slated to be the end, yet there is more to come. Lee spoke to BLACK ENTERPRISE about the literary extension of the Best Man’s messy yet loving friend group. Indeed, there is “unfinished business” to be explored.
BE: What made you say, “You know what, the series is not the final chapters after all?”
Malcolm D. Lee: I thought we were finished. It was incredibly difficult to bring together all those actors. I don’t know if we can do that again, and I didn’t think I had any more story to tell.
But I’ve always loved the written word. I’ve long fantasized about writing a novel. So, I thought, this might be an opportunity to try my hand at it with characters that people are already familiar with.
BE: Harper’s career is thriving; no one’s asking if he “needs some money.” Emotionally, he’s still spiraling. Why did you choose to let his emotional growth lag so far behind his professional success across the franchise?
LEE: Harper was always hyper-focused on career success. He was a serial monogamist and focused on getting to the top of being validated as an author. He forgot to take care of home. In a substantial way, it cost him his marriage and a strong relationship with his daughter.
Now he’s living that bachelor lifestyle, but it’s kind of hollow and empty. He feels out of place in his life with his friend group, who have all emotionally matured. It was a good examination of achieving success, but what do you have to show for it at the end of the day?
BE: In ‘Unfinished Business,’ Harper’s working on a film adaptation. Collaboration in film isn’t as easy as writing a book solo. Is that your personal take on the creative process?
Lee: I wanted to make sure this is literary. I can have limitless imagination about what I want to do, and it gives you an opportunity to really delve into these characters’ minds in a way that we haven’t gotten to experience on the big and the small screen. You get to use all five senses. In a movie, you only have sights and sound. Now you get feel, touch, smell, and taste.
BE: Let’s talk about Jordan “motherf**king” Armstrong. She reconfigures her life and hits a wall. Will we ever see her truly win?
Lee: A lot of women see themselves in Jordan. Finally, at the end of the final chapters, she chose herself. She has found love of self. She is in therapy, trying to get the answers to why she is the way she is. She and Harper are very parallel.
BE: Robin’s still in Africa. Why did she not come back into the fold?
Lee: Robin chose herself. She decided, I want better for myself besides this relationship that I give, give, and give to. Also, she did not want to be in America anymore. She was tired of fighting for a country that wasn’t fighting back for her.
Also, those were, by and large, Harper’s friends. She made room for everybody. Now she has to make room for herself.
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The first edition in the “Unfinished Business” trilogy centers on Jordan, Robin, and Harper. However, make no mistake, the full cast of characters is present. The characters leap off the page as though they were on screen. Audiences will be annoyed with Harper, amused by Quentin, proud of Jordan, and grounded by Lance. The crew is back. Get into the “unfinished business” of it all July 1.
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