How Does ‘The Gentlemen’ Series Differ From the Film?

Netflix’s new action comedy The Gentlemen is a certified hit, securing the top spot on the streamer’s TV rankings. But if the series is giving you Déjà vu, you’re not alone. The show is based on Guy Ritchie’s 2019 film of the same name, which starred Matthew McConaughey, Colin Farrell, and Henry Golding.

The film follows Mickey Pearson (McConaughey), an American drug lord who builds a massive marijuana empire in England. The secret to his success? Pearson builds underground grow houses on the sprawling estates of aristocrats who need the money to maintain their lavish manors. The symbiotic relationship proves mutually beneficial: Pearson doesn’t have to worry about his grow houses getting raided by the cops while the aristocrats make a passive income for looking the other way.

The film kicks off when Pearson decides to sell his cannabis empire. He must contend with competitive buyers, blackmailers, and other criminals looking to take over his business. Classic Guy Ritchie gangster shenanigans ensue.

Netflix’s The Gentlemen is inspired by the film, but it doesn’t feature any of the film’s characters or actors. The only connective tissue is the central conceit of gangsters operating grow houses on upper-class estates. Outside of that, everything in the series is original.

The series focuses on Edward Horniman (Theo James), a former U.N. peacekeeping officer and second son of an English aristocrat who returns home upon his father’s death. Once home, Edward makes two shocking discoveries. The first is that his father has bypassed eldest son Freddy (Daniel Ings) to make Edward the heir of the estate and the new Duke of Halstead. The second is that his father had entered into an agreement with crime lord Bobby Glass (Ray Winstone) to allow him to build a marijuana grow house on the estate for a percentage of the business.

The series sees Edward team up with Bobby’s daughter, Susie Glass (Kaya Scodelario) who runs the drug empire while Bobby is in prison. Edward tries to extricate his family from the cannabis empire while plunging deeper into a life of crime.

Don’t get me wrong, the series still sports Guy Ritchie’s signature style and flair. And fans of Ritchie’s work will recognize his hallmarks: quick edits, fun action sequences, and an exploration of the different classes of criminals that make up The Gentlemen‘s underworld. We even get Ritchie mainstay Vinnie Jones as the knowledgeable groundskeeper.

(featured image: Christopher Rafael/Netflix)