Picture: Netflix
Guy Ritchie’s first foray into television was a big hit for Netflix. After months of speculation, the series was handed a season 2 renewal in August 2024, but what’s the latest? Here’s what we know about The Gentlemen season 2, including some updated filming schedules.
In case you missed it, The Gentlemen is a British crime comedy series created by Guy Ritchie and produced by Miramax Television. It continues in the same world established in Ritchie’s movie, released in late 2019. All eight episodes dropped on Netflix globally on March 7th, 2024.
With a team of writers, Ritchie wrote all eight episodes and directed two, with Eran Creevy, Nima Nourizadeh, and David Caffrey each directing two episodes. Seventeen producers are credited on The Gentlemen, including Guy Ritchie, Matthew Read (Only God Forgives), Will Gould (The Wolves of Kromer), Ivan Atkinson (Wrath of Man), Marn Davies (The Gentlemen), and Miramax Television’s Mark Helwig (Lost in Space).
The Gentlemen Season 2 Officially Renewed at Netflix
In August 2024, Variety reported that the show had been given the thumbs up for more episodes, with filming to begin in 2025.
Season 2 of The Gentlemen will consist of 8 episodes. Guy Ritchie will return to write and direct, and Matthew Read will co-write. In a statement, Netflix’s UK VP of Content Anne Mensah said:
“With its gun-toting chickens and drug-dealing Dukes, ‘The Gentlemen’ was a huge hit with audiences in 2024. Not really a surprise as Guy Ritchie remains one of the industry’s most iconic creators telling authentically British stories with his signature swagger, grit and wit. We are thrilled the series will be returning to Netflix for a second season, and cannot wait to see what happens when the worlds of old money and drug money collide once more.”
Theo James, Kaya Scodelario, and Daniel Ings will Return for The Gentlemen Season 2
Pictures: Netflix
Alongside the announcement of the show being renewed, Netflix confirmed that there would be three returning characters from season 1 who have already signed up for future episodes:
- Theo James as Eddie Horniman
- Kaya Scodelario as Susie Glass
- Daniel Ings as Freddy Horniman
Additional casting news for season 2 will be announced at a later date.
When will The Gentlemen Season 2 begin filming?
When the show was first renewed, it was only confirmed that production would begin sometime in 2025. New updates courtesy of Production Intelligence suggest that pre-production will start on January 13th, 2025, with a planned shoot in the United Kingdom in April 2025. They also reported that Laura Jackson and Simon Crawford Collins serve as producers in season 2.
What The Cast Said Before The Season 2 Renewal
Given the show’s performance, much of the cast and crew seemed optimistic about the future ahead of the official announcement. Deadline reported in March 2024 that Guy Ritchie has ideas for a second season. Marc Helwig, one of the executive producers of The Gentlemen, had the following to say about a second season:
“We have started that process. There are some writers we’ve talked to, certainly lots of discussion with Guy about what he might want to do in a second season, what things to focus on.”
One possibility is that the show turns into an anthology series, meaning we’ll get a new cast and story at the beginning of season 2 rather than a continuation, although with the possibility of crossovers later. In an interview with Brazillian outlet Omlete, Theo James alluded to this, telling the news outlet (translated), “I think it works like limited series content, actually,” adding, “I think maybe there’s a way for Guy to expand on other films from his intellectual property, but for now, I think [the series] works on its own.”
James later spoke at the Deadline Contenders event, where he said a season 2 “wasn’t genuinely discussed,” but added, “I think it would be a wrangling process with all of us and Guy. But also, I think with a show like this, if you’re going to do more, you need to come up with a really interesting conceit for Season 2. Because as much as we enjoyed it and as fun as it was, it needs narrative drive.”
Since that interview, both James and his co-star Kaya Scodelario have spoken a bit about where a season 2 could lead. Speaking to Collider in June 2024, Scodelario said:
“I will say that Theo and I have discussed it. And I think we both would be excited to take these characters on a slightly different journey.
I think we’re both quite protective of the show and protective of our characters and how it came out and aware of, you know, making sure that if we were ever to move forward in any way with them, that we’d make it just as good, if not better. I don’t think either of us would want to do a second season if we didn’t feel as though we were doing justice to our characters, taking them on a whole new adventure, something equally as exciting and interesting, but even kind of bigger and better.”
How well did The Gentlemen Season 1 perform on Netflix?
The series has been one of the strongest performing shows of 2024 so far and the second biggest UK Netflix Original of 2024, only behind Fool Me Once, which put in a mega-performance, allowing it to enter Netflix’s all-time top 10.
The show featured in Netflix’s global top 10s for ten weeks between March 3rd and May 12th, picking up 462.40 million hours watched, equating to 69.50 million equivalent views. If we stack up The Gentlemen vs other Netflix shows after the first two weeks, we can see the show is definitely among Netflix’s top-tier shows for 2024.
What can you expect from the second season of The Gentlemen?
After gathering the money to bid on Bobby Glass’s weed empire, Eddie and Susie ensured they would take out the competition that had bid higher than they had. Alerting HRMC of Stanley Johnston’s tax records, he was arrested for tax evasion. As for Pete and Mercy, the latter hacked the former to death before losing her own life to Henry Collins, who subsequently, after raising £15 million of his own money to invest in Eddie’s and Susie’s bid, was murdered by Eddie on the request of Susie for his role in her brother ending up in a coma.
However, the entire bid process was a ruse by Bobby, who wanted to “wake” Eddie and Susie up to see if they were prepared to put some “Skin in the game.” With the money they amassed for the bid, they’ll now use it to invest in expanding the Glass weed empire.
Are Bobby and Stanley working together?
Using his connections, Bobby Glass ensured Stanley Johnston was sent to the same prison as him. With nothing but time on their hands, there’s a possibility that Glass and Johnston could join criminal empires, Glass with weed and Johnston with methamphetamine.
However, there could be resistance from Susie, who initially claimed to Eddie that the Glass family didn’t deal in anything like methamphetamines as the drug is too hot and garnered too much attention from the authorities. But, if all of the risk is placed on Johnston, Susie may be open to working with Johnston. However, if Bobby springs this on her unexpectedly and is not treated like an equal partner, tensions could arise between father and daughter.
Picture: Ray Winstone as Bobby Glass – Miramax Television
Will Freddy try to betray Eddie again?
Throughout the season, Freddy’s jealousy and annoyance at being overlooked by his father in favor of his little brother, Eddie, almost lead him to betray his brother.
Freddy came clean about his thoughts of having Eddie murdered. He’s also had a profound awakening and realization of the person he is and is coming to terms with it by trying to take accountability for his actions.
However, Freddy’s insecurities are what have gotten the best of him. When he was trying to showcase that he and Jimmy were able to crossbreed a cannabis plant with the coca plant, he seemed to think it would be the next big thing for drugs. If Freddy continues to be overlooked, despite his change in attitude, it may be enough to push him over the edge.
Picture: Daniel Ings as Freddy – Miramax Television
Eddie and Susie?
A love-hate relationship for the ages. Eddie and Susie are certainly one hell of an intriguing pair. Eddie went behind her back on numerous occasions to get him and his family out of the Glass empire, which almost resulted in the death of his entire family after Susie learned of his betrayal and set Tommy Dixon and his posse of god-fearing scousers on Halstead Manor.
The pair have put aside their differences and are now business partners. However, as Eddie continues his descent into the criminal underworld, will that make their relationship even more volatile? Or will it bring them closer together?
Picture: Kaya Scodelario (left) and Theo James (right) – Miramax Television
Who will be the next “villain” of the series?
We could see several new antagonists for the second season. Just several that spring to mind is an invading criminal empire that wants a piece of the Glass empire; the authorities begin breathing down the necks of the Horniman family, especially if Freddy gets himself into trouble. However, it could be the case that the number of times Eddie has been with Susie in public, it wouldn’t take much for a detective to put two and two together and begin investigating Eddie’s illicit activities.
There’s still the threat of the Dixon family, who will want revenge on Freddy for the death of Tommy.
Picture: Pearce Quigley as Gospel John – Miramax Television
Contains contributions from Kasey Moore.
Are you looking forward to the second season of The Gentlemen on Netflix? Let us know in the comments below.