Though the original Power series ended several years ago, its British adaptation premieres this week and promises to make a big impact. Created by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and launching on Starz in 2014, Power was a gritty and intense gangster drama. The show, one of Starz’s biggest successes, chronicled the ascent and downfall of Ghost, a powerful drug lord played by Omari Hardwick.
After launching successful spin-offs like Power Book II: Ghost, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, and Power Book IV: Force, Power quickly became one of the most popular crime dramas on cable television. Though it didn’t quite reach the critical acclaim of shows like The Sopranos and The Wire, Power was still a major success, winning Outstanding Drama Series at the 50th NAACP Image Awards in 2019. Its first spin-off, Power Book II: Ghost, also received this honor in 2021.
While two Power spinoffs, Power: Origins and Power: Legacy, are currently being made, fans won’t have to wait long for more content from the franchise. The new British boxing drama Fightland, featuring Howard Charles and Nicholas Pinnock, is bringing the intense drama and crime thrills of Power to a new setting across the Atlantic. Fightland tells the story of a boxer seeking revenge on the mob family that wronged him, and it promises the same exciting experience as the original Power series.
Fightland Is A Spiritual Continuation Of The Power Franchise
Produced by 50 Cent, Fightland centers on Maduka “Duke” Kilroy, a former boxing champion recently released from prison who returns to London seeking revenge. Kilroy is convinced a powerful criminal family framed him, and he’s determined to make them pay, but the truth is more complicated than it appears. Similar to the UK crime series Mobland, Fightland features a tough main character who faces constant betrayal before the story reaches its exciting climax.
“Fightland” joins a growing number of British crime dramas focusing on violence, a trend that started with the critically acclaimed “Top Boy” in 2011. Other shows like “Mobland,” “Gangs of London,” and the series based on Guy Ritchie’s film “The Gentlemen” have followed. While the popular “Peaky Blinders” deals with similar themes, its historical setting aligns it more with creator Steven Knight’s other period pieces, such as “Taboo” and “House of Guinness,” rather than shows like “Power.”
While Fightland could easily fit into the Power universe, its location in the UK presents a slight challenge. The show is being promoted with the same blend of dark comedy, compelling characters, chaotic gang conflicts, and intense violence that made the original Starz series and its spin-offs so popular. This combination of elements also strongly resembles the style of a well-known British television producer.
Fightland Might Be The Best English Gangster Show Guy Ritchie Didn’t Make
Though Guy Ritchie is currently working on the more traditional drama Young Sherlock set to release in 2026, he was once known as the king of British gangster films. He quickly gained fame in the late 1990s with his energetic movies Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, becoming the UK’s answer to Quentin Tarantino. Later films like RocknRolla and The Gentlemen showed he remained skilled at crafting exciting stories within the genre.
Guy Ritchie is known for his crime films, including MobLand and The Gentlemen, establishing him as an important figure in British crime dramas. Now, his new series Fightland has a high bar to clear. It needs to be as good as shows like Power, and even surpass popular and critically praised series such as Gangs of London and Top Boy if it wants to be considered the best British mob show he hasn’t directed.
2026-07-29 03:17