AMC Boards Sky Drama ‘Gangs Of London’ After HBO’s Cinemax Exits; Thriller Renewed For Season 2

AMC will air British drama Gangs of London in the U.S. after HBO’s Cinemax exited the project, which has been renewed for a second season.

The series, which was created by The Raid’s Gareth Evans, was originally commissioned by Sky and Cinemax in 2017, as revealed by Deadline. In the subsequent two and a half years, the U.S. pay-TV broadcaster moved out of originals and AMC has now taken the U.S. rights and will become a co-producer of the second season. Endeavor Content brokered the deal with AMC.

The ten-part show, which is produced by Pulse Films in association with Chernobyl producer Sister, was a bit hit for Sky in the UK – it was its biggest premiere streaming series this year and the biggest original drama launch on Sky Atlantic in the past five years.

Gangs of London tells the story of a city being torn apart by the turbulent power struggles of the international gangs that control it and the sudden power vacuum that’s created when the head of London’s most powerful crime family is assassinated. The series stars Joe Cole (Peaky Blinders), Sope Dirisu (Humans), Colm Meaney (Star Trek), Lucian Msamati (His Dark Materials), Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones)  Paapa Essiedu (Press) and Pippa Bennett-Warner (Harlots).

For 20 years, Finn Wallace (Meaney) was the most powerful criminal in London. Billions of pounds flowed through his organization each year. But now he’s dead – and nobody knows who ordered the hit. With rivals everywhere, it’s up to the impulsive Sean Wallace (Cole), with the help of the Dumani family headed by Ed Dumani (Msamati), to take his father’s place. If the situation wasn’t already dangerous enough, Sean’s assumption of power causes ripples in the world of international crime. Perhaps the one man who might be able to help him and be his ally is Elliot Finch (Dirisu), who up until now, has been one of life’s losers, a lowlife chancer with a mysterious interest in the Wallace family.  But as the wind of fate blows, Elliot finds himself transported to the inner workings of the largest criminal organization in London. It doesn’t end with the Wallaces though, there are shadowy higher powers at play.

Gangs of London was created by Gareth Evans and his creative partner Matt Flannery. Season two was commissioned by Zai Bennett, Sky UK’s Managing Director of Content and Cameron Roach, Director of Drama at Sky Studios, with Gabriel Silver as the Executive Producer for Sky Studios. Thomas Benski and Lucas Ochoa are the executive producers for Pulse Films alongside Jane Featherstone for Sister.

It was revealed earlier this year that HBO’s Cinemax would no longer be in the original commissioning game following the launch of HBO Max. The brand will continue as a linear network. In a short statement, Cinemax told Deadline, “We have appreciated tremendously the collaboration with Sky, Pulse Films, and Sister Pictures on Gangs of London, and we are glad that U.S. audiences will get to discover this exciting new series.”

“Gangs of London is a cinematic thrill ride that set screens ablaze with a stellar cast, elevated drama and epic storylines, and we couldn’t be more excited to raise the pulse of our audiences with this explosive crime series,” said Dan McDermott, President of Original Programming for AMC and Co-President of AMC Studios. “We’re grateful for the opportunity to partner with Sky Studios, Pulse Films and Sister to continue to push the boundaries on a bold new season of the series.”

“Gangs of London is dark, dangerous and we are thrilled it is coming back for a second series,” said Zai Bennett, Sky UK’s Managing Director of Content. “We couldn’t be more pleased to welcome AMC to our gang for Series two alongside the teams at Pulse Films, Sister and Sky Studios. Will the Wallace family rise again, will the Dumanis remain loyal to their new allies and who is Elliot really working for? All these questions and more will be waiting for Sky viewers when Gangs of London returns to screens in 2022.”