Guy Ritchie's The Gentlemen May Be Getting A TV Adaptation At Netflix
"The Gentlemen" marked director Guy Ritchie's grand return to the much more familiar confines of the gangster movie in early 2020, as opposed to massive, 9-figure blockbusters that never stood a chance of making a profit or live-action Disney remakes that left much to be desired. Apparently, Ritchie enjoyed the change of pace so much that he's not quite ready to leave that world just yet, and we're not sure that we can blame him at all.
Today, Deadline is reporting the news that Netflix is currently in talks to pick up "The Gentlemen" as a streaming series alongside producing partner Miramax TV (and Moonage Pictures, in the UK). The report describes the streaming platform as "in negotiations for a green light," meaning it's not quite official just yet. But should the production get the go-ahead, Ritchie has already co-written the script for the pilot episode and plans to direct the first two episodes of the series, along with serving as an executive producer.
This development doesn't come as a complete surprise, mind you, as we previously reported back in October of 2020 that Miramax Television had partnered with the director for a small-screen adaptation of the film. With Netflix looking to get in on the gun-toting action, it remains to be seen if any of the original "The Gentlemen" cast members will be returning for this series — a cast that included A-list names like Matthew McConaughey, Colin Farrell, Hugh Grant, Henry Golding, Michelle Dockery, Jeremy Strong, and more. In fact, it's still unclear exactly what shape this show will take — whether a sequel-like continuation, a completely separate story that happens to take place in the same world, or some other sort of retelling altogether. Read on for more details.
'The Gentlemen,' coming to a Netflix screen near you
You thought you couldn't get enough of Colin Farrell's hilarious portrayal of Oswald "Oz" Cobblepot, aka The Penguin, in "The Batman"? Well, fingers crossed that we're set for more of a tracksuit-wearing and utterly uncouth Farrell as Coach, a scene-stealer in his brief supporting role in the 2020 movie. Sadly, this is probably unlikely given the actor's other television commitments now that the tentatively-titled "The Penguin" series is now a go at HBO Max. But hey, we can dream!
Interestingly enough, the news of "The Gentlemen" finding its way into Netflix's hands actually brings this project somewhat full-circle. Originally, the story was pitched as a television series before it ultimately turned into a feature film. As for Ritchie, this isn't the first TV project that he's had a hand in, as he previously created and co-wrote "Stock, Lock..." in 2000, another series based on his own movie "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels."
But wait, what about that 2017 "Snatch" show on Crackle? Well, first of all, I don't believe for a second that you actually watched that series, let alone even remembered that it happened. (No offense to Rupert Grint, who starred in it and I'm sure was absolutely lovely in it!) But to answer my own rhetorical question, despite being based on his 2000 film "Snatch," Ritchie himself had no direct involvement with the actual series, making his creative influence on "The Gentlemen" even more interesting.
"The Gentlemen" didn't quite knock the socks of critics, with /Film's Hoai-Tran Bui saying in her review at the time that,
"The Gentlemen" is a film about Ritchie flexing his muscles and standing on his lawn to yell at the new kids for daring to tread on it. It attempts to tackle class divides and generational gaps, and yet its ultimate message is in favor of the status quo. Ritchie doesn't handle the messages he wishes to impart as skillfully as he could — instead, he's preoccupied with revisiting the beats that made his acclaimed gangster films work best: the sleek style, the staccato rhythm, the casual hyperviolence that begets more violence and an occasional laugh.
The film did make back its budget and then some at the box office, so clearly there must be some interest in this series. We're eager to see how it turns out and we'll pass along any updates.