Netflix has confirmed it will return to the East London drug underworld of Top Boy with two new spin-off series centered on characters played by Barry Keoghan and Jasmine Jobson.
The streaming service confirmed that one project will act as a prequel starring Keoghan, while the second will serve as a direct continuation following Jobson's character.
While HBO Max is often associated with crime and mob dramas such as The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, The Wire, Godfather of Harlem and Tokyo Vice, Netflix has established its own prominent presence in the genre with Top Boy.
Broadcast history and platform expansion
The main Top Boy series ended after five seasons. The crime drama originally broadcast two seasons on British network Channel 4 before Netflix acquired the franchise and added those early episodes as Top Boy: Summerhouse, which are no longer available on the service.
Netflix later produced three original seasons between 2019 and 2023. That main run concluded with the third Netflix season, bringing an end to the story of central characters Dushane and Sully, portrayed by Ashley Walters and Kane Robinson.
Prequel story for Jonny McGee
Nearly three years after the main show ended, Netflix is expanding the crime franchise with two projects focused on secondary characters from the final seasons. The first spin-off, titled Jonny Boy, is a five-episode prequel focused on dangerous Irish criminal Jonny McGee.
Barry Keoghan, the Oscar-nominated Irish actor known for his roles in The Banshees of Inisherin and Saltburn, originally played McGee in the third Netflix season. Series creator Ronan Bennett is writing the prequel, with Iranian-Danish filmmaker Ali Abbasi attached to direct. Keoghan will also serve as an executive producer through Wolfcub Productions alongside Des Byrne.
The narrative will examine McGee's background before the events of Top Boy, offering viewers a deeper look into one of the most intimidating figures introduced during the drama's final stretch.
Sequel continuation for Jacqueline
The second series currently carries the working title Jaq and will consist of six episodes. Created and written by Ryan Calais Cameron, the project follows Jacqueline in the aftermath of the Top Boy finale.
British actress Jasmine Jobson reprises her role as Jacqueline, a performance that earned her the BAFTA award for best supporting actress in 2024. When the character was last seen, she had attempted to return 25 kilograms of drugs stolen from Sully's stash while sitting alongside her girlfriend, Becks, trying to reassure themselves that things would turn out fine.
Production schedule and executive team
Netflix has not announced formal premiere dates for either series. However, filming for both Jonny Boy and Jaq is set to begin in 2027.
Ronan Bennett will remain attached to both projects as an executive producer. Canadian musician and producer Drake, who played a key role in rescuing and reviving Top Boy for Netflix, will also return as an executive producer for the new spin-offs.
