| Rise of the Footsoldier | |
|---|---|
 Original Movie Poster (2007) | |
| Created by |
|
| Original work | Rise of the Footsoldier (2007) |
| Owner | Optimum Releasing |
| Years | 2007–present |
| Films and television | |
| Film(s) |
|
Rise of the Footsoldier is a British gangster film franchise written and directed by Julian Gilbey, Will Gilbey, Ricci Harnett, Zackary Adler, Andrew Loveday and Nick Nevern, distributed by Optimum Releasing. The franchise and its first two films are based on true events featured in the autobiography of Inter City Firm hooligan turned gangster Carlton Leach (Ricci Harnett) before later films focus on the lives of drug dealers Pat Tate (Craig Fairbrass) and Tony Tucker (Terry Stone) who were gunned down in the Rettendon murders in 1995.
The first film Rise of the Footsoldier was released on 7 September 2007 and grossed £220,868. It was the third production from BAFTA Award-nominated director Julian Gilbey and is based on the autobiography of Leach who had risen from a football hooligan to becoming a bouncer, hired muscle and later part of the Essex firm of the 1990s and his involvement with Pat Tate and Tony Tucker.[1][2][3] The sequel Rise of the Footsoldier Part II: Reign of the General released in 2015 followed Leach in the aftermath of the murders, whilst Rise of the Footsoldier: The Pat Tate Story (2017), Rise of the Footsoldier: Marbella (2019) and Rise of the Footsoldier Origins (2021) are prequels to the original and do not feature Carlton Leach, but are loosely based upon the lives of Tucker and Tate. Rise of the Footsoldier: Vengeance was released in 2023.
- ^ Leach, Carlton (2003). Muscle. John Blake. ISBN 978-1-904034-48-3.
- ^ Chambers, Catherine (2 September 2007). "Rise of the Footsoldier". BBC Online. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
- ^ Gritten, David (7 September 2007). "Rise of the Footsoldier". Telegraph Online. Retrieved 18 September 2014.