Will Franklin Saint Return in ‘The Drop: A Snowfall Saga’? Here’s What We Know

‘Snowfall‘ fans have spent years wondering what life after the crack epidemic looks like for the characters who survived it, and now ‘The Drop: A Snowfall Saga’ is finally answering that question. But one name keeps coming up in every conversation about the spinoff, and that is Franklin Saint.

The character who anchored six seasons of FX’s acclaimed crime drama left the story a broken man, and viewers cannot stop asking whether Damson Idris will step back into the role now that ‘The Drop’ is airing.

Franklin Saint’s Absence from the Official Cast List

At the time of writing, Damson Idris is not listed as part of the confirmed cast for ‘The Drop: A Snowfall Saga’. The spinoff shifts focus away from the drug empire that defined ‘Snowfall’ and instead pulls viewers into Los Angeles’s rapidly growing music scene of the 1990s.

Given how ‘Snowfall’ ended for the former crime boss, and his complete lack of ties to the music world at that point in the story, it tracks that Franklin would remain disconnected from this new chapter.

The series was created by Malcolm Spellman, with Isaiah John and Gail Bean reprising their roles as Leon Simmons and Wanda Bell, alongside newcomers Asante Blackk, Peyton Alex Smith and Simmie Buddy Sims III. Franklin’s name is notably missing from that roster.

What Happened to Franklin Saint at the End of ‘Snowfall’?

To understand why fans are so invested in this question, it helps to remember exactly where Franklin’s story left off. The series began with Franklin as a 19 year old convenience store clerk and weed dealer in South Central Los Angeles who transformed into a notorious drug lord worth millions during the rise of crack cocaine.

To build that empire, he ordered the murders of friends, innocent people, and family allies, all while helping fuel the epidemic devastating his own community. It is a legacy that makes his silence in ‘The Drop’ feel especially loud.

By the end of the series, Franklin’s CIA handler Teddy McDonald stole 73 million dollars from him, wiping out his fortune and legitimate real estate holdings. Franklin managed to track Teddy down and was seconds away from recovering half the money when his mother Cissy shot and killed Teddy, ending her son’s obsession once and for all.

Franklin ultimately lost his fortune entirely and ended up living on the streets, echoing the fate of his own deadbeat father. That gutting image of a broke, broken man wandering South Central has stayed with fans since the finale aired in 2023.

Cast and Producers React to Fan Speculation Around ‘The Drop’

The cast has been notably careful when addressing whether Franklin factors into the new storyline. When Gail Bean was asked in an interview with TV Insider whether Franklin Saint will be referenced in the spinoff, she responded coyly, saying fans would have to watch and let her know since she could not give spoilers.

Idris himself has stoked the speculation. At Essence Fest in New Orleans, where ‘The Drop’ was spotlighted alongside other major television projects, Idris joined John and Bean on a panel and received loud cheers from the crowd. When an attendee asked directly whether he would appear in the series, Idris answered that they would have to wait and see.

The official trailer for ‘The Drop’ does not show Franklin, but Wanda mentions him by name within it, which fans are treating as reason enough to stay hopeful about a cameo. That single mention has fueled countless theories across social media since the trailer dropped.

The New Direction for ‘The Drop: A Snowfall Saga’

Even without Franklin front and center, ‘The Drop’ is positioning itself as a direct continuation of everything his empire set in motion. Wanda and Leon survived the world Franklin helped create, watching crack transform their neighborhood while paying their own steep prices along the way.

The new series follows Wanda Bell and Leon Simmons as they attempt to reinvent themselves in 1990s Los Angeles, where the fallout from the crack epidemic is giving rise to a new cultural force in West Coast rap. For Wanda specifically, music represents another chance to turn hustle into economic freedom, as she begins recognizing talent in new characters like Artillery and Lamar.

That parallel should make longtime viewers a little nervous, since Franklin also once believed he could use the game without letting the game consume him. The series is primarily set in Los Angeles and revolves around the impact of the first crack epidemic on the city, weaving together the fates of Franklin Saint, CIA operative Teddy McDonald, luchador Gustavo Zapata, and cartel heiress Lucia Villanueva before landing in this new decade.

‘The Drop: A Snowfall Saga’ officially premiered on September 8 and continues airing new episodes weekly on FX, Hulu and Disney+. Whether or not Idris ever walks back on screen as Franklin, the character’s shadow clearly still looms over every frame of this new Los Angeles story.

So between Wanda’s cryptic mention in the trailer and Idris himself refusing to rule anything out, how do you think ‘The Drop’ should handle Franklin Saint’s legacy, and would you want to actually see him again or leave his story exactly where ‘Snowfall’ left it?