Netflix brings Guinness family saga to the screen
Netflix is set to dramatise the story of Ireland’s most famous brewing dynasty with House of Guinness, a new series from Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight. The show premieres globally on 25 September and follows the Guinness family in Dublin and New York during the 1860s.
Steven Knight, the Oscar-nominated screenwriter best known for Peaky Blinders, has turned his attention from Birmingham’s factories to Dublin’s brewery gates in House of Guinness. The new Netflix drama will debut on 25 September with all eight episodes available immediately.
The show has already drawn comparisons with HBO’s Succession, and with power, inheritance and loyalty all at stake, it’s easy to see why.
Knight told Netflix the series is “the extraordinary story of a family who happens to be the inheritors of the biggest brewery in the world. They’re young and are given the task of taking on this incredibly successful brand. The first priority is: don’t screw it up. And the second priority is to make Guinness even bigger.”
The story behind House of Guinness
The drama begins after the death of Sir Benjamin Guinness, whose business acumen established the brewery as one of Europe’s leading producers. His will leaves joint stewardship of the brewery to his sons Arthur and Edward, while his daughters Anne and Ben also play significant roles in the unfolding drama.
Knight has described the family as “naturally wild” and says he was struck by their appetite for life. He has also stressed the importance of the brothers at the centre of the series: “Before he died, their father very deliberately chained Arthur and Edward together in responsibility for the brewery. You’ll find out why when you watch.”
Casting and characters
The series features Anthony Boyle as Arthur Guinness and Louis Partridge as Edward, with Emily Fairn as Anne and Fionn O’Shea as Benjamin junior. James Norton appears as Sean Rafferty, a character Knight describes as central to the show’s modern relevance.
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Other cast members include Dervla Kirwan as Aunt Agnes Guinness, Jack Gleeson as Byron Hedges and Danielle Galligan as Lady Olivia Hedges. Michael McElhatton, Ann Skelly and Jessica Reynolds also feature in a large ensemble.
Production background
The series is a Kudos production, created and executive produced by Knight alongside Karen Wilson, Elinor Day, Martin Haines, Tom Shankland and Ivana Lowell. Shankland has directed four episodes, while Mounia Akl has directed two.
Knight previously collaborated with Kudos on SAS: Rogue Heroes, which proved successful internationally. Speaking about his decision to take on the Guinness story, he added, “They thought this project might be of interest to me since I’m interested in beer. And my answer was, ‘Yes, definitely.’”
Guinness context
The show arrives at a time when Guinness is enjoying renewed commercial momentum. As reported by the drinks business, the brand experienced shortages at Christmas due to surging demand. Guinness is now the best-selling draught beer in the UK, accounting for around 11% of all sales in 2023 and remains Ireland’s leading beer.
Founded in 1759 at St James’s Gate, Dublin, Guinness is now brewed in almost 50 countries and available in over 120. Owned by Diageo, the brand has become one of the world’s most recognised drinks, with the Guinness Storehouse attracting more than 20 million visitors since its opening in 2000.
A historical retelling for a global audience
The Guinness family’s rise has long been entwined with both Ireland’s industrial past and its social fabric. By the late 19th century, the brewery was producing more than a million barrels annually and was valued at £6 million when floated in 1886, despite refusing to advertise.
The decision to adapt this story for television reflects Netflix’s continued investment in prestige historical drama. House of Guinness will aim to connect audiences to both the scale of the brewing empire and the family dynamics behind it.
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Not before time, a series that I am extremely interested in, Best stout on Earth in my opinion.