The Gentlemen Netflix Series - What We Know So Far
Guy Ritchie is heading to the small screen. The British writer-director stepped into the spotlight with the 1998 "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels," which he followed up with "Snatch," the film that brought action star Jason Statham into the mainstream. Hollywood came calling with blockbuster hits like "Sherlock Holmes," its sequel "A Game of Shadows," and the 2019 live-action remake of "Aladdin." Ritchie has walked away like a bandit, with a global box office cume of over $2.5 billion (via The Numbers), making him one of Tinseltown's most prominent creatives.
With a steady mix of genre fare and crime capers, Ritchie continues to invent himself as his career hums along. 2020 saw the release of "The Gentlemen," an action-packed, marijuana-focused thriller filled with Ritchie's signature visual style and quippy writing. Dubbed a "vulgar, coarse and welcome return to form" by The Toronto Star, the film went on to gross over $115 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo), emerging as his highest-grossing non-IP project. The film, which stars Matthew McConaughey, Henry Golding, Charlie Hunnam, and a slew of other A-listers, was originally conceived as a television series (via Deadline). As fate would have it, Netflix has commissioned a series based on Ritchie's hit, which will expand on the world of herbary and crime happenings that audiences were first introduced to in 2020.
When will The Gentlemen be released?
Netflix hasn't revealed a release date for "The Gentlemen" series. Deadline was the first to announce the project in March 2022. Casting confirmations began to roll out in early November 2022 (via Variety), meaning scripts are likely finalized. Could the series be released in 2023? It's possible, as Deadline confirms that the series will begin filming on November 7, 2022, in the United Kingdom. However, writer-director Guy Ritchie has a slew of other projects in the pipeline that also require attention.
The director is currently spearheading an untitled film starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Antony Starr. It remains to be seen how much time is dedicated to post-production on the project, which focuses on an Afghan interpreter (Dar Salim) saving a U.S. military sergeant (Gyllenhaal). Ritchie is also on track to direct a live-action remake of "Hercules," which is produced by "Avengers" directors Joe and Anthony Russo. An early November 2022 report from Variety confirmed that Ritchie was working on the Disney film's script. Ritchie's 2023 plate will also be filled with promoting his latest completed entry: "Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre," which stars frequent collaborators Jason Statham and Hugh Grant. The long-delayed film will reportedly be released during the first month of the new year in Australia (via Twitter).
Ritchie's busy schedule could mean that "The Gentlemen" could hit Netflix in late 2023 or 2024. Of course, only time will tell when the series hits the streaming giant.
What is the plot of The Gentlemen?
"The Gentlemen" series is set in the same world as the film. Guy Ritchie's original film followed American ex-pat and drug kingpin Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey) attempting to sell off his highly profitable (and illegal) marijuana business. His secret to success? Growing his substance on the properties of once-prominent English aristocrats who want to continue their lavish lifestyles. Several eccentric and nefarious players enter Pearson's life, causing chaos in the underbelly of England's drug business. The series, however, will focus on a new slew of characters.
At the heart of the series is Eddie Halstead (Theo James), the newly appointed heir to a prominent English estate. Instead of basking in his late father's wealth, Halstead quickly learns that the house he calls home is one of Pearson's large marijuana farms. James' character decides to join in on the underworld happenings, trying to gain prominence in the United Kingdom's crime world. As with any Ritchie project, it's almost certain that Halstead will come across a colorful cast of characters, both good and bad.
Will the eight-episode series feature McConaughey returning as Pearson? While the Netflix romp is a sequel to the film, it's currently unknown how long has passed between the events that kickstarted the franchise. "The Gentlemen" film ended with Pearson deciding to hold onto his kingdom after dealing with not-so-compliant buyers. A cameo from McConaughey or Charlie Hunnam would certainly be welcome, though fans shouldn't get their hopes high.
Who is starring in The Gentlemen?
Taking on the lead role of Eddie Halstead is Theo James, whose career continues to shine. The British actor first gained international recognition with the "Divergent" franchise. James has since appeared in the sci-fi film "Dual" and HBO's "The Time Traveler's Wife." He was most recently seen in the second season of "The White Lotus." Long-time Guy Ritchie collaborator Vinnie Jones will appear in the series as the groundskeeper on the Halstead estate. "Crawl" actress Kaya Scodelario will play Susie Glass, who Deadline describes as someone who oversees the Pearson business.
Daniel Ings of "Lovesick" fame will play Eddie's older brother, who is in severe debt. The rest of the Halstead family will be rounded out by Joely Richardson, who plays Eddie's mother. Richardson recently appeared in Netflix's "Sandman" as Ethel Cripps. Also included in the cast are "Breaking Bad" and "The Mandalorian" standout Giancarlo Esposito and "Guardians of the Galaxy" star Peter Serafinowicz. No plot details have been made available for Esposito and Serafinowicz's characters. Knowing Esposito's track record as an actor, it's fair to assume that he'll be playing a villain of some sort.
Who is directing The Gentlemen?
Guy Ritchie will direct the first two episodes of the eight-episode series. Wearing many hats, the creative will serve as showrunner, co-writer, and producer. "Peaky Blinders" producer Matthew Read will both executive produce the series and co-write it alongside Ritchie. Marn Davies and Ivan Atkinson, who produced the original "The Gentlemen," as well as a slew of Ritchie's other films will also act as executive producers alongside Miramax TV and Moonage Pictures brass. "Gangs of London" Hugh Warren will be a producer on the Netflix show.
Ritchie's "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" previously received the serialized treatment, though he only served as a writer and executive producer. Seeing as this will be the first time Ritchie is directing his own series, he's naturally excited about what audiences will see. In a statement obtained by Deadline, Ritchie expressed his enthusiasm for the series. "The world of The Gentlemen is a little bit of me," Ritchie said in his statement. "I'm thrilled that with Netflix, Miramax and Moonage we have this opportunity to inhabit it once again. We're looking forward to bringing fans back into that world, introducing new characters and their stories and I am excited to be doing it with this extremely talented cast."