Football Factory sequel: Danny Dyer filming new movie Marching Powder 20 years after original - title meaning

Danny Dyer reunited with director Nick Lowe for The Football Factory sequel, Marching Powder, 20 years after the first film came out. 

Dyer was 26 years old when he played bored Chelsea fan and football hooligan Tommy Johnson in 2004 crime drama The Football Factory. He was spotted this week filming the sequel, Marching Powder, in London this week.

Although The Football Factory received poor reviews from critics when it was released, and made back less than one fifth of its £5 million budget at the box office, it has since become a cult classic, and cemented Dyer’s status as a British lads’ film icon.

What does Marching Powder mean?

Marching Powder, also referred to as Bolivian Marching Powder, is a slang term for cocaine, which comes from the sudden burst of energy a person feels after taking cocaine. It is also the title of a 2003 non-fiction book, unrelated to the upcoming film, about a man arrested at La Paz airport with five kilos of cocaine in his suitcase.

In The Football factory the main characters regularly snort cocaine, particularly before heading out for a fight with a rival firm. Speaking of the film on Instagram, Dyer said: “We’re gonna be bang on the marching powder, that’s the name of the film by the way. And it starts on January 15th, and there’s gonna be more crime, drugs and serious ultra-violence.”

What is Marching Powder about?

Marching Powder catches up with Dyer’s Tommy Johnson who is still living a wild life fueled by drugs, sex, and football hooliganism. Tommy has been arrested on a drugs charge and is given six weeks to turn his life around, fix his marriage, and become and help his stepbrother.

As is suggested by behind the scenes photos featuring Dyer with a bloody nose and bruises on his face, things don’t exactly go to plan as Tommy’s life continues to spiral out of control.

Who is in the cast of Football Factory 2?

Danny Dyer is so far the only original cast member confirmed to return in the sequel, but the movie will also see Football Factory director Nick Lowe back at the helm. 

Dyer and Lowe have collaborated four times so far as Dyer starred in The Football Factory, The Business, Outlaw, and The Firm, gritty British crime dramas all of which Lowe directed.

Other cast members from the original film who could return include Frank Harper who played Billy Bright, the volatile wannabe leader of the Chelsea firm, Neil Maskell, who played Tommy’s best friend Rod King, and Tamer Hassan, who starred as Fred, leader of the Millwall firm.

When is the release date of Marching Powder?

A release date has not been confirmed for Marching Powder, but filming began on January 15. Newly launched film distributor True Brit Entertainment confirmed that the film will be released later this year to mark 20 years since the original film’s release.

Where can you watch The Football Factory in the UK?

The Football Factory is available to stream now in the UK on Netflix, Amazon Prime, ITVX, and Britbox. You can also rent or buy the film from Apple TV, Amazon, and the Sky Store from £1.99.