Theo James said he did not feel the pressure to lead the cast of the new Netflix TV version of The Gentlemen, despite the success of the 2019 Guy Ritchie film of the same name.
The upcoming series sees aristocrat Eddie Horniman, played by The White Lotus star James, inherit his family’s country estate, only to later discover that it is part of a cannabis empire and its proprietors do not plan to go anywhere.
Created by British filmmaker Ritchie, the action comedy stars The Maze Runner actress Kaya Scodelario, Lovesick actor Daniel Ings, Nip/Tuck star Joely Richardson, Snatch actor Vinnie Jones, Breaking Bad’s Giancarlo Esposito, and screen veteran Ray Winstone.
Speaking to the PA news agency at the London premiere of the series, James said “no, I don’t think so” when asked if it was daunting to follow in the footsteps of the hit film starring Matthew McConaughey and Colin Farrell.
“This is a very different world and I was glad for that.
“I think people assume it is a continuation of the movie, but it’s set in a world of The Gentlemen but it is a completely different story, completely different characters and I felt like it was different enough.
“This is specifically the idea of mashing two genres together. The aristocracy blended with the criminal underworld and when they collide, what happens.”
James described the series as a “learning curve” for his character, who enters an unknown world and is coached through it by Susie and Bobby Glass, played by Scodelario and Winstone, before he gets “hungrier for it, for power, for money, for violence, and that kind of blackens his soul”, James added.
Winstone described the show as being about “how the working-class criminal manipulated the aristocrat”, and also “about families coming together”.
He also said of working with Ritchie: “You get the script and you learn it. As long as you learn it and you know what the character is all about, because he’ll change it, as long as you’re on the ball and you’re there, you go with the flow.
“If you go with the flow, you’ll get something better and you’ll enjoy it much more, and I certainly did.
“I enjoy working that way anyway, keeps you on your toes.”
Ritchie is creator, co-writer, co-director and co-executive producer of the eight-part series.
The Gentlemen series will launch on Netflix on March 7.
