Fifth Ward was Greg Carter's first feature film which he wrote, produced, edited, and shot on 35mm.

The movie was later distributed by York/Maverick Entertainment and released nationwide in March 2000 to Blockbuster and Hollywood Video and later ran on BET Action PPV.

"[4] Similarly, The Austin Chronicle echoed the same sentiments, commenting, "Despite Fifth Ward's ambitious style and noble, socially conscious storyline" it is "a messy mix of bad lighting, muddy sound, and thudding hip hop that sounds like it was recorded in a closet.

"[1] In spite of reviews, the movie was distributed by York/Maverick Entertainment and released nationwide in March 2000 to Blockbuster and Hollywood Video and later ran on BET Action PPV.

[2] A TV sequel to the film, 5th Ward The Series, started airing on UMC on March 2, 2018, and consisted of six episodes.