Netflix Is Working On A Succession Style Guinness Drama

4 months ago

Filming has commenced in Liverpool

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If there’s a buzzy stout of the last few years, decades, centuries – it can only be Guinness. Originating in 18th century Dublin, the dark-hued drink with its iconic creamy white head has a cult following, with fans ever-desperate to find the perfect pour. Now part of Diageo – one of the UK’s largest multinational alcohol brands, also behind the likes of Smirnoff, Baileys, Captain Morgan and Gordon’s – the stout brand started life as a family business, founded by Arthur Guinness in 1759. Merging with Grand Metropolitan in 1996, a Guinness held the company’s chairman position until 1986, passing through the family until then. But a real power struggle ensued after the death of Benjamin Guinness, the grandson of Arthur – and this is set to be the subject of a new Netflix series. Here’s everything we know so far about House of Guinness.

House of Guinness: Plot, Cast, Release Date & More

From Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight comes the historical, Succession-style series, House of Guinness (working title). Now filming in Stockport, Manchester and Liverpool, the series was first announced in March 2024 – so there’s a little while to wait before it’ll land on Netflix. We’re already excited…

What Will Happen?

House of Guinness will tell the story of one of Europe’s most famous and enduring dynasties, the Guinness family. Whisking us back to 19th-century Dublin and New York, the series will particularly focus on the death of Benjamin Guinness – and the subsequent fall out.

Often credited with really boosting the success of the Guinness brand, Benjamin is the grandson of Guinness founder Arthur, and the third Guinness patriarch to head up the company. With four children (Arthur, Edward, Anne and Benjamin) left in his wake, House of Guinness will explore Benjamin’s far-reaching impact on the fate of their lives – as well as the lives of a group of Dubliners who work and interact with the growing juggernaut.

‘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,’ series creator Knight said. ‘I’ve always been fascinated by their stories and am excited to bring the characters to life for the world to see.’

Who Will Star?

James Norton has been spotted kicking castmates on set in Manchester – in character, of course. He will be joined by:

Louis Partridge
Anthony Boyle
David Wilmot

No news just yet on who else will star (we’re hoping for some of Ireland’s shiny talent), but we will update this page with the details when they come to light.

James Norton holding a toddler in ITV's new drama, Playing Nice

James Norton in Playing Nice, coming soon to ITV

Is It Based On A True Story?

Yes, House of Guinness is based on the real Guinness family, with particular focus on Benjamin and his children.

Who Was Benjamin Guinness?

Born in 1798, Benjamin was the grandson of Arthur Guinness, who founded Guinness in 1759, and the third son of Arthur II Guinness and his wife Anne Lee. Rather than attending university, Benjamin joined his father in the business in his late teens. Flash forward to 1839 and he had sole control of the company – and jump again to 1855, when Arthur II passed away, and he was the richest man in Ireland.

Under Benjamin, Guinness became a global brand, with sales jumping from 78,000 hogsheads in 1855 to 206,000 hogsheads by 1865. Meanwhile, he invested heavily in Ireland, restoring St Patrick’s Cathedral, working as a philanthropist and funding Irish archaeological projects. To facilitate his growing brand, Benjamin invested in Irish railway companies in the 1840s, with the brand owning £86,000 worth of Irish railway stock by 1867. By 1865, he was also working as an MP for Dublin City. In thanks for all of his varied philanthropy, he was made Lord Mayor of Dublin in 1851, and a baronet in 1867.

In his personal life, Benjamin married his cousin Elizabeth Guinness in 1837, the two sharing four children: Arthur, Edward, Anne and Benjamin. Upon his death in 1868, his eldest son, Arthur III, succeeded in the baronetcy, taking control of the company with his brother Edward (Benjamin’s third son). When Arthur III died childless in 1915, the baronetcy was taken by Benjamin II’s son Algernon – and it is from Algernon that today’s Guinness Baronets descend.