Grab yourself some Vibes rolling papers and a pound of Wildlife Cannabis Company‘s Blackberry Gelato because Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen TV series is rolling a fat one for Theo James (The Time Traveler’s Wife, Allegiant). James plays the project’s lead character, Eddie Halstead, who inherits his father’s substantial estate and discovers he’s in charge of a marijuana empire owned by the notorious Mickey Pearson. Will Eddie succeed at taking over the family business? Does he have what it takes to go up against the British criminal underworld?
Did you know that The Gentlemen was supposed to be a television series before it became a feature film? It’s true, and now the property is returning to its roots. Released in 2019, The Gentlemen tells the story of an American ex-pat who tries to sell off his highly profitable marijuana empire in London, triggering plots, schemes, bribery, and blackmail to steal his domain out from under him. In addition to Matthew McConaughey, the film starred Colin Farrell, Charlie Hunnam, Henry Golding, Michelle Dockery, Jeremy Strong, and Hugh Grant.
Ritchie co-wrote the pilot, will direct the first two episodes, and is executive producing The Gentlemen TV series. Miramax TV is producing alongside Moonage in the UK. Joining Ritchie as executive producers on The Gentlemen TV series are Ivan Atkinson, Marn Davies, and Bill Block. Marc Helwig executive produces for Miramax TV, with Will Gould and Matthew Read for Moonage Pictures.
James played Tobias Eaton in the Divergent trilogy (Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant) and has a lengthy list of film and television roles. He played Sidney Parker in Britbox’s Sandition TV series and starred opposite Rose Leslie in The Time Traveler’s Wife TV series. His career has prepared him to go up against rough characters, but can Eddie rise against the British crime underworld and its many goons? History shows that empires often crumble. Hopefully, Eddie will navigate his new situation with smarts to make his father proud of the man he’s become.