'Sons of Anarchy' Creator Kurt Sutter Quitting 'Mayans M.C.'

Kurt Sutter will step down as co-showrunner for Mayans M.C. after Season 2, he says, leaving series co-creator and co-showrunner Elgin James at the helm if the drama is renewed for a third season by FX. The Sons of Anarchy creator made the announcement at the Season 2 premiere event Tuesday night at the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood, according to The Wrap.

"It's time for the white man to leave the building," Sutter told fans at the event, explaining that it was time that the Mayans story of Latino bikers living near the California-Mexico border should be told by voices of color. He has not addressed the news on any of his social media channels or website.

"Kurt Sutter changed my life," James told Entertainment Weekly after the premiere. "I couldn't get a job in a Walmart or a Costco as a violent ex-felon. He took a shot on me … I don't know what he saw in me … and the last two years I've learned so much from him that it's left me speechless, really. I love everyone on our show so much. We've become a family. I'm so excited about what we get to do."

When asked if he's ready to be the sole boss, James replied, "F— yeah. I'm wearing a suit! Yeah, I am. Being the boss, all that means is taking the chains off and letting everybody do what they do. Everyone on our crew, our writers' room and in our cast is brilliant. Our job is easy. Just turn the cameras on and let the chemistry happen."

It's unclear if Sutter will pursue any new projects once he leaves Mayans. In 2018, he teased that a Sons of Anarchy prequel may be in the cards, telling EW that as the Charlie Hunnam-led show was wrapping, FX was "trying to find ways to keep it going. We had talked about the idea of a prequel, which I still want to do."

"It would be a one-off called First Nine. It'll begin in Vietnam with John [Teller, Jax's father] and Piney (William Lucking)," he went on to say. "There will be one episode for each guy who joins the first nine. That's what I want to do."

At that time, he confessed that exploring the Mayans "made the most sense."

"We started talking about it more seriously, but FX CEO John Landgraf and I both knew that we didn't want to do it right on the heels of Sons of Anarchy," Sutter added. "We wanted to let it breathe for a couple of years."

Sons of Anarchy premiered in 2008 and took its final bow in 2014 after seven seasons on FX.

Season 1 of the Sons of Anarchy spinoff followed Ezekiel "EZ" Reyes, played by JD Pardo, who was fresh out of prison and a prospect in the Mayans MC charter on the Mexicali border. EZ will continue to navigate his complicated role in the club and his family when season 2 returns.

Season 2 of Mayans M.C. will premiere Tuesday, Sept. 3 on FX.

Photo credit: Rich Polk / Stringer / Getty