The Gentlemen series two FIRST LOOK: The Duke locks horns with the Glass family and plans to overrun their empire in bloodthirsty trailer - days after Meghan Markle's offer of a part in the Netflix drama was 'withdrawn'

The Gentlemen has just dropped a full-length trailer for the new series of the Netflix hit days after the offer for Meghan Markle to join the cast was 'withdrawn'.Meghan's return to acting has reportedly been 'cancelled' amid criticism over plans to cast her in the third season of the Guy Ritchie-directed series.It was confirmed that the third series has been greenlit just as the trailer for the second dropped on Monday, ahead of the September 3 release date.The new glimpse at the upcoming series shows Theo James' Eddie take on the Glass empire as he makes a bid to resume complete control of his estate.At the start of the clip, he says: '400 years ago, this estate spread out as far as the eye could see,' over sweeping shots of his sprawling grounds. 'I want it all back.'However, the path to total domination never runs smooth, especially when the opponent is Bobby Glass (Ray Winstone). The Gentlemen has just dropped a full length trailer for the new series of the Netflix hit days after the offer for Meghan Markle to join the cast was 'withdrawn' Meghan's return to acting has reportedly been 'cancelled' amid criticism over plans to cast her in the third season of the Guy Ritchie directed series The trailer also introduces Hugh Bonneville's character Lord Hawthorne and Maya Jama as a gangster's moll (pictured right), after they both joined the series' second seasonBut Bobby is aware of Eddie and Susie's (Kaya Scodelario) ambitions to expand their criminal empire, as he tells them he knows they are hoping he might support their efforts to 'decriminalize marijuana'. Giancarlo Esposito also returns to further fuel Eddie's desire to rule, telling him: 'Forge your own path. Move away from Bobby Glass.'At the start of the series, it has been a year since Eddie and Susie joined forces to work together overseas as part of Bobby's operation.But it soon becomes clear that neither of them agree with the recent decisions that kingpin Bobby has made.With Bobby standing in the way of expanding the criminal empire, Eddie and Susie must decide whether to fall in line or make their own moves.The trailer also introduces Hugh Bonneville's character Lord Hawthorne and Maya Jama as a gangster's moll, after they both joined the series' second season.Over the weekend, it was claimed that former British royal Meghan had been offered a role in the third installment of the show.But just as quickly as the news was released, it was then claimed the offer had been withdrawn after the reaction in Britain became too 'intense', according to royal author Tina Brown.Ms Brown said: 'I learned that the casting of Meghan Markle has been withdrawn. The backlash was so intense it became untenable to go forward.' Hugh Bonneville's character Lord Hawthorne with Theo James' Eddie Maya plays the stylish partner or companion of a criminal associate within the show's underworld, her character's name is currently unknown At the start of the series, it has been a year since Eddie and Susie joined forces to work together overseas as part of Bobby's operation The explosive trailer gives fans a taste of what's to come The second series of the show promises to be just as action-packed as the first With Bobby standing in the way of expanding the criminal empire, Eddie and Susie must decide whether to fall in line or make their own moves Teased in the trailer is a caged tigerIn her 'Fresh Hell' Substack newsletter, the author wrote: 'This does not bode well for Meghan's acting comeback.'Just four years ago, Meghan insisted she had no plans to return to acting. In 2022, she told Variety magazine: 'I'm done. I guess never say never but my intention is to absolutely not.'Now, however, her return to the screen has been touted by sources 'close to the duchess' as one of the reasons she and Prince Harry are returning to Britain.But commentators have suggested that any acting role for Meghan and a subsequent return to the spotlight could be problematic both for the Sussexes and the Royal Family in general.Baroness Wheatcroft, speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, said: 'The first thing any actress wants is publicity and Meghan may be a good actress. She is certainly going to be offered roles but she has to be very careful when the inevitable interviews come along not to embarrass the royals.'Meghan Markle's much-touted return to acting has been 'cancelled' it has been claimed In 2022, Meghan said she had no plans to return to acting, however, earlier this week sources close to her said she was in 'advance discussions' to star in season three of the hit showBefore marrying Harry, Meghan enjoyed a successful seven-season run as Rachel Zane in the legal drama Suits. She reportedly earned around $40,000 per episode by the time her final episode aired in April 2018 – just one month before she walked down the aisle at St George's Chapel in Windsor.Meghan has a small cameo in the upcoming film Close Personal Friends, starring Brie Larson and Lily Collins. But a source connected with the project described the appearance to The Mail on Sunday as little more than fleeting. A role in Ritchie's The Gentlemen would have marked a far more significant return to acting.Netflix declined to comment while a spokesman for the duchess refused to confirm or deny that the offer had been withdrawn.The possibility of Meghan appearing in the show emerged last week with sources claiming she was in 'advanced discussions' about joining the third season.The Gentlemen follows an English aristocrat who discovers that the estate he has inherited conceals a lucrative marijuana-growing operation.Reports that Ritchie was considering creating a role for Meghan were met with an immediate torrent of online criticism.On Netflix's Instagram account for The Gentlemen, one viewer warned: 'If Guy Ritchie hires Markle to go on Season 3, his ratings will drop fast.'Another wrote: 'Many will boycott The Gentlemen if MM is in the cast. I loved the series but cannot watch the new series if she is in it.'Others said they would refuse to watch the programme 'out of principle', citing anger over Meghan's claims about her treatment by the Royal Family. Earlier this week, it was revealed that Meghan and Harry intended to move from the US to Britain with their children Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five Meghan's best-known acting role is as Rachel Zane in the legal television drama Suits. (Pictured here with co-star Patrick J Adams)A source at Disney studios told the MoS: 'Every so often people around [Hollywood] get calls about whether there are any gigs for Meghan but she's a polarising choice... She's not someone I would want in one of my shows because you're alienating a large part of your audience before you shoot a single frame.'Ms Brown believes the duchess may have become too toxic for mainstream TV roles.The author of The Diana Chronicles and The Palace Papers told the MoS: 'The backlash was too intense for Ritchie to proceed.'Meghan and Harry signed a $100million five-year deal with Netflix in 2020, but that lapsed last year with the streaming giant declining to renew it. Their Harry & Meghan docuseries was the most-viewed in Netflix history, but subsequent projects failed. The lifestyle show With Love, Meghan attracted mixed reviews and was not renewed, while Harry's Polo series was a flop.But the MoS has learned that Meghan could find success in the theatre. Mark Borkowski, a West End PR expert, said: 'I've had two West End managements calling me up for a PR view on if they should approach Meghan... They were asking if she would sell tickets and I told them absolutely.'The Gentlemen is a series created by and co-written by British film-maker Guy Ritchie.The series is also co-written by Matthew Read. Featuring episodes in this new season directed by Ritchie and Eran Creevy.It's executive produced by Ritchie, Matthew Read, Will Gould, Frith Tiplady, Simon Crawford Collins, Ivan Atkinson. Made by Moonage Pictures, at ITV Studios, Miramax Television. Netflix releases Guy Ritchie's The Gentlemen – Season 2 series streaming starting September 3rd, 2026.From director Guy Ritchie, The Gentlemen returns for Season 2 on September 3rd, only on Netflix.