According to Deadline, the creator of Top Boy, Ronan Bennett (Face, Gunpowder), is in discussions with Netflix regarding possible spin-off. In an interview with the BBC’s Nihal Arthanayake recently, Bennett stated that the spin-off would center on Jasmine Jobson (Platform 7, Surge)’s character, Jaq Lawrence. Top Boy is a British crime and drama series that revolves around living on an estate surrounded by crime, violence, wealth, and drugs.
Bennett claims that executive producer Drake is on board and that he is in talks with Cowboy, a production firm, and Netflix.
He said, “We are talking to Netflix about a spin-off, which will be around Jaq.”
He goes onto make a joke saying that Netflix will: “probably be angry with me for mentioning it” “I’ve learned through bitter experience not to talk too much about shows that are in the future.”
Bennett continues on: “You just never know if they’re going to get made,” “And in fact, most shows that are developed actually don’t get made. You can write the script and, for whatever reason, they don’t get made. So you end up looking like a bit of a fool for mentioning it. But I have hopes that this will work.”
According to Deadline, although these discussions are still in their very early phases, Bennett added that there have been additional discussions among the creative team about whether to write a prequel, Top Boy movie, or stage musical.
He expresses how there is so much that can be done for the show: “I think that the world of Top Boy, the world that we jointly created, is so rich, it’s so deep, and it has that fanatical following that it’s something that still has life in it,” “Some shows reach their end, and you kind of go, ‘Thank god they’ve ended, I love that show, but they’ve run out of steam’. But I do feel that there’s more juice to squeeze from Top Boy.”
The reason why Top Boy is one of the most popular British shows on Netflix ever is largely due to Jaq’s highly regarded role in the series. After being canceled by Channel 4 after two seasons, Netflix revived the show with Drake’s assistance. Starring Ashley Walters (Get Rich Or Die Tryin’, Bulletproof), Kano(The Kitchen, Tower Block), and a youthful ensemble cast, three more seasons of the show debuted on the streamer between 2019 and last year. The series has received positive views and high viewership. In Seasons three, four, and five, Jaq has a significant part to play.
Jobson played significant roles in the BBC series Noughts + Crosses and the ITV series Platform 7, and she was nominated for a BAFTA for her work in the Ben Whishaw (This Is Going To Hurt, Paddington) film Surge.
Bennett is penning the screenplay for Sky and Peacock’s lavish adaptation of Day of the Jackal, which stars Lashana Lynch (Bob Marley:One Love, The Marvels) and Eddie Redmayne (The Danish Girl, The Fantastic Beast).