Yesterday, news dropped that Theo James is the lead of Guy Ritchie‘s upcoming series spinoff of his film “The Gentlemen” for Netflix. Now, Variety reports that the show has the rest of its main cast, and it includes the likes of Kaya Scodelario, Giancarlo Esposito, and Vinnie Jones. It’s the first time Jones and Ritchie work together since 2000’s “Snatch.”
Other members of the newly announced main cast are Daniel Ings, Joely Richardson, and Peter Serafinowicz. Production for “The Gentlemen” starts in London on November 7. The upcoming series takes place in the same world as Ritchie’s 2019 film but features an entirely new cast of characters. So, don’t expect the likes of Matthew McConaughey’s Mickey Pearson or Charlie Hunman‘s Raymond to pop up on the show (at least not beyond a minor cameo).
James headlines the series as Eddie, “the estranged son of an English aristocrat who inherits the family pile – only to discover that it’s sitting on top of the biggest weed farm in Europe.” In the 2019 film, McConaughey’s Pearson oversees a massive marijuana empire hidden beneath the estates of England’s bankrupt elite. It appears “The Gentlemen” will follow Eddie as he immerses himself in Pearson’s racket, perhaps looking to become its new leader.
“The world of ‘The Gentlemen’ is a little bit of me,” said Ritchie in a press 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.” Ritchie directs the first two episodes of the series, and also co-writes the pilot with Michael Read. He’ll also serve as co-executive producer. Miramax TV produces the show through the US, while Moonage Pictures produces in the UK.
“The Gentlemen” was a huge box office success for Ritchie, raking in $115 million off a $22 million budget worldwide. No wonder he and Miramax want to expand this world. Ritchie’s other upcoming projects include an untitled thriller starring Jake Gyllenhaal that’s in post-production and a “Tik-Tok inspired” live-action take on “Hercules” for “Disney.” He also has “The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare” with Henry Cavill and Eiza Gonzalez in the pipeline.
There’s also “Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre,” Ritchie’s latest film, which still awaits release due to Miramax and STXFilms having concerns over the movie’s villains being Ukrainian. Not the best global climate to release a film where that’s the case, but expect that one out in due time. As for Netflix’s “The Gentlemen,” this casting news is another reason to be excited about the upcoming series.
