Irish actor Barry Keoghan will reprise his role as criminal antagonist Jonny McGee in Jonny Boy, a five-episode prequel series ordered by Netflix. Written by franchise creator Ronan Bennett and directed by Ali Abbasi, the project explores McGee’s origin story within the London criminal underworld, with filming scheduled to kick off in 2027.
Here is the kicker, though—this isn’t just a simple spin-off. It marks a major strategic expansion of a powerhouse British television property that Netflix successfully resurrected after its original Channel 4 cancellation.
The Bottom Line
- The Core Project: Barry Keoghan is returning to his Top Boy role for a five-part prequel titled Jonny Boy, exploring his character’s origin story.
- The Creative Team: Franchise creator Ronan Bennett is penning the scripts, with Ali Abbasi attached to direct and Wolfcub Productions co-producing.
- The Expanding Universe: Netflix is simultaneously moving forward with a separate Top Boy spin-off centered on Jasmine Jobson’s character, Jaq.
Tracing the Roots of the Netflix Deal
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the genesis of Keoghan’s involvement goes back to his fandom of the original series. The Oscar-nominated Dubliner originally approached creator Ronan Bennett to secure a role in the show’s final chapter. That initial ambition materialized when Keoghan appeared in the fifth and final season of Top Boy, released in 2023, playing an Irish gangster alongside Brian Gleeson as part of the Dublin mob supplying drugs into London for his uncle, Tadgh McGee.
Now, that specific antagonist relationship is getting a deep-dive expansion. Through Wolfcub Productions—the production banner he owns alongside Des Byrne—Keoghan is taking on a dual front-and-behind-the-camera role as both lead star and executive producer. According to a joint statement released by the production team and reported by The Irish Times, the company noted that they pitched their vision directly to Netflix and executive producers, who offered immediate backing to explore Jonny McGee’s origin story through a bold new lens.
Inside the Expanding Crime Drama Ecosystem
But the math tells a different story about how modern streamers handle valuable IP.
Alongside Keoghan’s prequel, Netflix has greenlit a separate series centered on BAFTA-winner Jasmine Jobson’s character, tentatively titled Jaq, which features writing and creation by Ryan Calais Cameron.
| Project Title | Key Talent | Key Creative / Writer | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jonny Boy | Barry Keoghan (Lead/EP) | Ronan Bennett (Writer), Ali Abbasi (Director) | 5-Episode Prequel Series |
| Jaq (Working Title) | Jasmine Jobson (Lead/EP) | Ryan Calais Cameron (Writer/Creator) | Series Expansion |
Behind the scenes, the production footprint is massive. Cowboy Films’ Charles Steel and Alasdair Flind are executive producing both projects, alongside Bennett for Easter Partisan Films. Meanwhile, Drake’s DreamCrew Entertainment—featuring Aubrey Drake Graham and Adel “Future” Nur—and SpringHill Studios, a Fulwell Entertainment label represented by Maverick Carter and Jamal Henderson, are attached as executive producers across the expanded slate.
What Comes Next for the Gritty British Crime Drama
With filming slated to begin in 2027, the creative heavy-hitters involved face the delicate task of expanding a universe that already concluded its narrative arc on high emotional stakes.
Drop a line in the comments below. Are you ready to dive back into the criminal underworld for a Jonny McGee origin story, or should Netflix have left the door closed on the Top Boy universe?
