Netflix confirms Guinness family series from Peaky Blinders creator

Ryan Price

The streaming service has released a working title and has hinted that it could be released next year.

Netflix has revealed details of a new TV series centred around Ireland’s Guinness family.

The show – which is going by the working title House of Guinness – is being written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight and is set to be directed by both Tom Shankland (House of Cards) and Mounia Akl (Boiling Point).

HOUSE OF GUINNESS (working title)

From Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, the epic story of one of Europe's most eccentric and enduring dynasties – The Guinness Family. Set in 19th-century Dublin and New York, the story will focus on the consequences of the death of Benjamin…
— Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) March 14, 2024

Specifically, the narrative will focus on the consequences of the death of Benjamin Guinness, the man credited as being responsible for the success of the Guinness brewery.

It’ll be set in 19th century Dublin and New York and will focus on the far-reaching impact of Benjamin’s “cunning will on the fate of his four adult children, Arthur, Edward, Anne, and Ben, as well as on a group of Dublin characters who work and interact with the growing juggernaut that is Guinness”.

Fans will be excited to see the humble beginnings of one of the world’s most favourited and celebrated beverages, and to get a glimpse into what Dublin was like around the turn of the 20th century.

Having Steven Knight on the project will also surely fill people with high hopes and expectations, after the success of Peaky Blinders and its impact on popular culture.

Producer on the upcoming series, Karen Wilson, praised the inclusion of Knight and expressed excitement about the story and the adaptation: “The House of Guinness is full of mystery, intrigue, and drama and we’re absolutely thrilled to be bringing it to Netflix audiences around the globe.

“This epic and fascinating story about one of the greatest dynasties of the world will have audiences captivated, and I can’t think of anyone better to bring it to life than the brilliant Steven Knight.”

The British screenwriter and producer said the following in a press release: “The Guinness dynasty is known the world over – wealth, poverty, power, influence, and great tragedy are all intertwined to create a rich tapestry of material to draw from.

“I’ve always been fascinated by their stories and am excited to bring the characters to life for the world to see.”

There have been no casting announcements as of yet for the upcoming series, but we’ll likely hear more in the coming months.

Netflix has confirmed that there will be eight one-hour episodes and filming is expected to get underway later this year.

The streaming company made several other announcements this week regarding upcoming projects.

The much-talked about Jose Mourinho documentary, which was largely filmed during his time as manager of Manchester United, will be available to stream in 2025.

They also announced another one-shot wonder is on the way next year from Boiling Point’s Stephen Graham and Philip Barantini.

Written by Graham and Jack Thorne and directed by Barantini, the four-part series – titled Adolescence – is being produced by Brad Pitt’s Plan B and is described as an “ambitious crime drama told in a real-time, one-shot style.”

On top of this, Netflix revealed that it will be adapting Irish author Marian Keyes’ family drama novel Grown Ups as a series and that Jamie Dornan will be playing twins in a new crime noir show titled The Undertow.

Also, Irish actress Eve Hewson will star opposite Adam Sandler, George Clooney and Greta Gerwig in Marriage Story writer-director Noah Baumbach’s untitled new film.

The movie is being described as a “funny and emotional coming-of-age film about adults.”

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