Everyone remember filmmaker Jonathan Glazer’s 2000 British cult crime drama and debut feature, “Sexy Beast” with Ben Kingsley and Ray Winstone? Of course you do, it’s a stone cold classic even if it is relatively straightforward compared to Glazer’s latter day more enigmatic masterpieces like “Under the Skin” (2013), and “The Zone of Interest” (the latter of which we named the Best Film of 2023).
Well, as promised a few years back, a prequel series was coming from Paramount+, without Glazer’s involvement and it’s finally here.
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The series stars James McArdle (“Andor,” “Mary Queen of Scots”) and Emun Elliott (“The King’s Man,” “Paradox”) as the leads, with Tamsin Greig (“The Guilty,” “Friday Night Dinner”), Stephen Moyer (“True Blood”) and Sarah Greene (“Bad Sisters,” “Penny Dreadful”)
In the series, McArdle plays the younger version of Gary “Gal” Dove (originally played by Ray Winstone), and the more violent, sociopathic gangster Don Logan (Ben Kingsley) is played by Emun Elliott.
The prequel series explores the early origins of Gal (McArdle) and Don’s (Elliott) and their complicated relationship. They find themselves descending into the seductive madness of the London criminal world during the vibrant and volatile 1990s, while Gal’s budding relationship with Deedee (Greene) threatens everything in their world.
Additional cast includes Eliza Bennett, Clea Martin, Nicholas Nunn, Peter Ferdinando, John Dagleish, Robbie Gee, Paul Kaye, Lex Shrapnel, Cally Lawrence, David Kennedy, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Ralph Brown, Nitin Ganatra, and Alice Bailey Johnson.
Paramount+ set a January 25 for the “Sexy Beast” series premiere in late 2023.
“I feel very fortunate to be a part of this world,” McArdle said in a statement. “The original story leaves so much space for us all to wonder what happened within Gal and Don’s friendship in the years prior. I’m looking forward to everyone being able to rediscover these characters and find out.”
The series will premiere exclusively on the service in the U.S. and international territories where available. Watch the new trailer below.