Malcolm D. Lee, the visionary behind “The Best Man” franchise, has extended the legacy of his beloved characters through another medium. After crafting one of the most culturally resonant film and television sagas to span multiple decades, Lee gave fans an even deeper look into the lives of Harper, Jordan, Robin, Lance, and the rest of the crew through the introduction of a trilogy of novels.
The first installment of “The Best Man: Unfinished Business” book series dropped on July 1, 2025, and centers on Harper, Jordan, and Robin, picking up in the emotional aftermath of “The Best Man: Final Chapters,” the Peacock limited series that brought closure but not finality to their stories. With the freedom of prose, Lee has peeled back more layers and dived into what happened after the cameras stopped rolling.
This pivot to books wasn’t just a continuation, but a reinvention as Lee explored the characters in a more intimate, introspective way, tapping into their thoughts, motivations, and inner conflicts like never before.
In a conversation with REVOLT, Lee spoke about the series, whether he will explore the other characters more, and which one of the actors came up with the idea of creating a Bourbon brand.
You’ve done what few filmmakers dare — transitioned a beloved screen universe into literature. What emotional or creative itch did books scratch that the screen just couldn’t? And was there something liberating in letting the audience imagine the scenes rather than watch them?
It’s funny because I was done with it. I was done with the storytelling. I think a lot of that was just how difficult it is to mount a show or a movie with these great actors that I got a chance to work with. They’re very busy and working all the time. To get them all back together was not going to be an easy task. Once the dust cleared, I thought about how I’ve always loved the written word and always fantasized about writing novels and this would be a way for me to tell more of the story between these beloved characters. I was thinking about what life after divorce looks like for Harper and Robin or what life looks like for Jordan as we know she’s all about the hustle. Penguin Random House and Storehouse Voices came on board and believed in the vision.
Did you send the book to the cast, and what did they say about it?
They’ve all been told about it, and if they request it, I send it to them. Taye Diggs, Morris Chestnut, and Harold Perrineau all love it.
Would you ever think to expand into animation and see what that looks like with these characters?
Now that's interesting and an interesting prospect. I hadn't thought about it, but I will think about it.
While Harper has always been the storyteller, this trilogy gives other characters more emotional authorship. Whose voice surprised you when writing, and who finally got the mic in a way they never could on screen?
I don't know that anyone necessarily surprised me. I was surprised by the ending. The story dictates where it wants to go and you have to respect that, even if you had a different idea about where it should be and where it was going to go. I’ll tell you this, in the original film, Robin wasn’t supposed to come to the wedding. However, as time went on, you want to tell dynamic storytelling. You have to put pressure on your main character and by having her there, what did it tell you? She's a problem solver and she's in your corner. You know you effed up. I was happy I was able to expand on Harper and Robin in this book because people were upset with how things played out in the series. I wanted a chance to have Robin speak her truth and [offer] a deeper understanding of what she’s going through, as well as for Harper, too. He probably could have made some adjustments, but he refused.
You dedicated the first book to your mother. Is there anything your mother has instilled in you that you always apply to your work?
My parents are always [focused on] representations of Black folks and making sure that we were given a fair shake and an authentic lens. In my writing, I was never conscious of her voice, but she’s with me, and it’s naturally coming out.
In the books, we get a deeper exploration of Jordan and Harper. Are you happy fans will be able to read more about their favorite situationship without the limits of screen time?
I’m excited for fans to read about Harper and Jordan and where things are going. Are they finally going to have their night? Are they finally going to realize that they are soulmates for one another? Are they soulmates for one another? I definitely wanted to explore that more and see where that went with the two of them, and also what the explanation owed to Robin, if any?
Are the viewpoints from the other characters expanded throughout the trilogy?
Yes, we are going to get into the characters’ POVs like we did with this first book, and it's interesting. I thought that we would wrap up Harper, Jordan, and Robin's story in this first book, but no, we are making you [wait and see] what's going to happen in book two, and we're going to do the same thing with book three.
Jordan asked a great question in the first book: “Why can’t we be normal and exceptional?” Was that moment always hers, or did you wrestle with that idea yourself before letting Jordan speak it?
I think this is something anyone who is Black and successful might say. Anytime we’re in spaces where there may not be a lot of other Black people, questions like this get asked. They take a lot of interest in us if we're the only ones. I am just like you. That’s one of the things that my wife and I talk about all the time. It’s a part of being exceptional and Black in this world. This is why it's important to normalize this franchise from the movies to the television series to the book.
You’ve always placed Black characters in elevated, expansive, and aspirational environments. But in this trilogy, it feels more intentional than ever that we see them in settings like vineyards, Malibu, and consulting empires. What were you trying to model or challenge through those decisions?
I don't know that I'm trying to challenge anything. This is the part of the world I live in. These are my peers. We’re not abnormal. We are truly American and some of the best parts of America. We’re in a capitalist society... but also have a sense of community that makes us very unique in that regard. We got hang-ups like everyone else. We got emotions and s**t that makes us angry or that irks us, and [things] that make us happy and make us sad. It's all very human.
The men and women in the series are stripped emotionally bare at times, including during Jordan’s writing exercise. Was there a vulnerable moment in your own life that cracked you open creatively and made you a better storyteller?
Several moments. When I write these characters, I cry. When I was writing the breakup scene of Robin and Harper and used the record “Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)” by Gladys Knight & The Pips, I cried. When I watched Candace and Julian make up in The Best Man Holiday, I boohooed. These are real feelings I have, and I hope it translates from the movie to the book. You couldn't do that writing exercise with Jordan on screen that I have in the book. There are a lot of things that are much more effective in a book than they are in a movie, and vice versa.
One thing that wouldn’t hit the same in the book as it did on screen is the iconic Shelby vs. Candace moment, which still goes viral on social media all the time. How proud are you of that scene and their evolution from feuding to forming a quiet, loyal friendship? It’s not front and center in the story, but you can feel how they show up for each other now.
It’s interesting. Having Shelby be a reality star and a housewife came along at the right time with the “Real Housewives” franchise growing in popularity and being a part of our culture. My mom gets mad at me for having them fight, but that’s what happens with these shows. Of course, Shelby would definitely take it there. She's always been a person that kind of likes to push buttons just like Quentin did. The fight made sense for the story and was something that exacerbated an already emotional situation. I think everyone has to have an amount of growth in their character arcs and in human beings, especially in these characters. At the end of the day, when Mia is gone, all the stuff they fought about was meaningful. So, let's move on and try to at least be civil towards one another. She's a lot, but I'm ok with her.
There’s a tension between Harper and Julian that feels like an echo of what Harper and Lance went through — not explosive, but still emotionally tight. What is it about Harper having these complicated male friendships that makes you want to explore more?
[Julian] Murch isn’t letting anything go these days. You saw in the series that he was tired of them talking about him. He’s going to hold you accountable for the stuff that you've done. Every time you have a choice between doing the right thing and choosing yourself, you always choose yourself, as he told Harper. That resonates with Harper. He wanted to make sure that, like, yo, man, I am not the same dude that she went to school with. Don't play me like that anymore. I really wanted to show a new Murch.
Harper’s still the same smart, successful guy, but he’s also navigating some real mess. And it’s not always pretty. Were you ever tempted to soften him, or did you feel it was more honest to let him live in that complexity — a Black man who doesn’t need to be cleaned up to be compelling?
I don't want to soften him. I think he feels like he's right. I'm all [that], everyone should want to be gravitating to and around me. But the bottom line is you are kind of stuck in place, bro. You need to expand, you need to be [less] immature, you need to grow.
You took the real-life bond between you, Taye Diggs, Morris Chestnut, and Harold Perrineau, and turned it into Sable, a bourbon rooted in legacy, intimacy, and ownership. Was there a moment you realized this was bigger than just a product, that it was the next evolution of Black storytelling off-screen?
When Harold made the suggestion that we go into business together and create a bourbon, it just felt right. They were a part of my first movie and helped me launch my career, and [they were] at my wedding, too. My wife and I are still together and they’re still with their mates, too. We genuinely like being around one another. We genuinely had the same mission when it comes to displaying excellence and aspiration and togetherness and brotherhood. It was just a natural fit. I don't know that there's anything more than that and it’s the extension of our partnership and our brotherhood and our friendship to be in business with one another. So far, no conflicts.