Maybe no one remembers anymore because it came out right before the COVID-19 pandemic took over the world, but “The Gentlemen” was a big hit for Guy Ritchie. It made $115 million at the box office, off a $22 million budget, did well with critics, and showcased a big jump in Ritchie’s screenwriting abilities. Miramax loved it, too, so much so that they started developing a spinoff TV series in October 2022, which Netflix involved themselves in earlier this year.
READ MORE: Netflix Picking Up TV Series Based On Guy Ritchie’s ‘The Gentlemen’
Deadline reports that the show now has its leading man: Theo James, who currently stars in HBO‘s “The White Lotus.” In the upcoming series, James plays Eddie Halstead, a soldier who inherits his father’s estate only to discover that one of Mickey Pearson’s weed farms is on the property. Does Halstead have the knack to learn the British underworld’s dark arts and take control of the operation?
Ritchie co-writes the show’s pilot with Matthew Read, who directs the first two episodes. Both serve as executive producers on the series. The series is a co-production between Miramax TV in the US and Moonage Pictures in the UK. Other executive producers for “The Gentlemen” include Ivan Atkinson, Marn Davies, and Bill Block, Ritchie’s fellow producers on the 2019 film.
James’ other recent work beyond “The White Lotus” includes “Mr. Malcolm’s List,” HBO‘s “The Time Traveler’s Wife,” and “Dual.”
Expect more casting news for “The Gentlemen” to drop soon as the show heads into production in London next week.