STX Entertainment releases the second The Gentlemen trailer, the latest heist movie from writer-director Guy Ritchie. Last October, the first The Gentlemen movie trailer accentuated the complexities of the premise. For the second clip, however, a main character literally explains the plot. 

The Gentlemen explores the touchy relationship between London businessmen and American expat Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey), a drug lord who contemplates retiring from criminal underworld activities, like selling lots of marijuana. Incidentally, Pearson’s acquaintances and enemies attempt to establish control. But Pearson doesn’t give up so easily, and decides that he just may not call it quits after all. The Gentlemen includes an all-star ensemble cast featuring Hugh Grant, Michelle Dockery, Colin Farrell, and Charlie Hunnam, among more familiar faces. 

In The Gentlemen’s second trailer McConaughey’s oratorical skills are the primary focus. The 80-second clip takes a practical approach, as the druglord Pearson essentially details the narrative premise through a highly symbolic conversation with Golding’s Dry Eye - a “cunning lion” refuses to give up territory to a “young and foolish dragon" (who then starts a war). And so there’s a battle between the young and the old, with clever editing integrating various side characters as the lion story continues all the way to the end. The Gentlemen’s second trailer is significantly trimmed down from the original, seemingly to appeal to moviegoers who may not necessarily be familiar with Ritchie’s usual storytelling approach. In the first Gentlemen trailer, Grant’s character served as the primary storyteller. Now, it’s the charismatic McConaughey who explains the rules of the game. Check out The Gentlemen trailer #2 below. 

During opening weekend next month, The Gentlemen will square off against Aneesh Chaganty’s thriller Run and Floria Sigismondi’s horror film The Turning. And while both of those films may prove to be commercially successful and critically acclaimed releases, Ritchie’s latest feature will undoubtedly be the center of pop culture buzz. In recent years, the English filmmaker has written and directed the blockbusters The Man from U.N.C.L.E., King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, and Aladdin, the last of which topped over $1 billion at the box office. Ritchie is currently filming Cash Truck, an action thriller starring Jason Statham.

Based on the second trailer for The Gentlemen, Ritchie will target fans who enjoy the cheeky humor of films like Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. And by casting McConaughey, Ritchie’s latest film will appeal to the actor’s international fanbase, allowing for a higher box office take. If the writing is tight and the performances resonate, The Gentlemen will help Ritchie land another huge studio blockbuster.

More: 2020 Movie Release Date Calendar

Source: STX Entertainment

  • The Gentlemen Release Date: 2020-01-24