Stella Artois pits David Beckham against Theo James in The Gentlemen tie-in

Stella Artois has partnered with season 2 of Netflix’s The Gentlemen, placing David Beckham in the show’s world of aristocrats and gangsters in a campaign that ties into its ‘There’s Power in the Pour’ brand positioning.

The centrepiece is a 90-second cinematic film. Theo James, playing Eddie Horniman, Duke of Halstead, arrives at a stately home where an auction is under way in a wood-panelled room.

The room falls silent and the auctioneer announces in a strong Cockney accent: “Lot 72. This is no bull. This is a cathedral of muscle.” The curtains open to reveal Norman, a huge bull snorting and stamping.

Neon-yellow text says he is worth £2m. Eddie casually bids £1.5m, expecting to get the bull cheaply. When Beckham unexpectedly bids £3m from the back, Eddie tells his sidekick: “A refresher for our friend.”

Cue lingering, backlit shots of the pour. Eddie’s henchman carries the drink to Beckham, knife in hand, and slowly skims the foam off the top. The move is known as ‘The Cut’, the fourth of five stages in ‘The Gentlemen’s Serve’.

Beckham gets the message, and moments later the auctioneer reveals that the £3m offer has been pulled. “Never corner a bull, David,” Eddie tells the former footballer, who shifts uncomfortably. The closing shot shows the beer under the strapline ‘There’s power in the pour.’

The script makes the beer part of the story rather than an add-on.

“The Gentlemen deals with rituals of aristocracy at the highest stakes and partnering with Stella Artois – a brand internationally recognised for its commitment to excellence and taste – allows us to bring that to life in a whole new way,” said James. “The partnership feels authentic to the story in a way that fans of the show will enjoy.”

AB InBev global chief marketing officer Marcel Marcondes said: “Stylish, elevated, great taste – attributes of the world’s most premium beer and one of the most successful and widely anticipated shows on Netflix.”

“The Gentlemen is a natural fit to showcase Stella Artois’s brewing heritage and iconic pouring ritual, and to have Theo James and David Beckham connect those worlds is a treat for fans everywhere.”

Five 15-second films each cover one step of the pouring ritual: ‘The Clean-Up’, ‘The Sacrifice’, ‘The Angle’, ‘The Cut’ and ‘The Judgment’. In each, an unfortunate underling nervously explains himself to a quietly furious Duke.

Beckham appears in The Angle with his leg in plaster, raised at 45 degrees, which happens to be the right angle for holding the glass while pouring Stella Artois. The film does not explain why.

The campaign will run on Netflix in eight markets: the UK, the US, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Mexico, South Korea and South Africa. Custom social content will appear on Netflix and Stella Artois channels.

Fans can also try the pouring ritual at The Marlborough Pub in London from 3 to 5 September and take home limited-edition personalised Stella Artois chalices.

The Gentlemen already plays on the gap between perfect manners and hidden threat, which the campaign applies to the brand’s elaborate pour.