When the BBC’s BAFTA-winning “Peaky Blinders” wrapped up its six-season run in 2022, there were immediate conversations about a potential film follow-up. Now, after a few years of uncertainty, a “Peaky Blinders” film is officially moving forward; production is scheduled to begin later this year. And yes, recent “Oppenheimer” Oscar winner Cillian Murphy will be returning to star as cunning Brummie boss Tommy Shelby.
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Steven Knight’s period crime drama, which premiered on BBC Two in 2013, follows the exploits of the titular Birmingham street gang and its leader, the ambitious Tommy Shelby. The story begins at the end of World War I and ends in the mid-1930s, as the Peaky Blinders rise to power via bootlegging, drug smuggling, and car manufacturing—plus, the occasional favor (like assassinations and arms deals) for Winston Churchill (Neil Maskell).
The series’ sixth and final season, which aired on BBC One, followed Tommy and the Blinders as they went head-to-head with real-life politician Sir Oswald Mosley (Sam Claflin), who led the British Union of Fascists during the rise of Nazi Germany. The season also dug into Tommy’s dealings with the IRA and the Irish mob. On the series finale—spoilers!—Tommy settled more than a few scores, including killing his cousin Michael Gray (Finn Cole) and ultimately passed the family business onto his sister Ada (Sophie Rundle).
The show’s all-star ensemble cast included the likes of Anya Taylor-Joy, Tom Hardy, Stephen Graham, Paul Anderson, Ned Dennehy, Benjamin Zephaniah, Maskell, Natasha O’Keeffe, Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Packy Lee, Ian Peck, Daryl McCormack, and Conrad Khan. It also saw appearances from big names like Cosmo Jarvis, Aidan Gillen, Adrian Brody, Paddy Considine, David Dawson, Sam Neill, and the late Helen McCrory.
“Peaky Blinders” received near-universal acclaim over the course of its run, holding a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes and winning the BAFTA TV Award for best drama series in 2018.
"It seems like Tommy Shelby wasn't finished with me..." - Cillian Murphy
— Peaky Blinders (@ThePeakyBlinder) June 5, 2024
A #PeakyBlinders film is coming to Netflix! pic.twitter.com/vxhvp6GOMo
Netflix, which acquired exclusive U.S. rights to the show after the first season, will distribute the movie in association with BBC Film. Deadline first reported the news in June, in tandem with a post on the official “Peaky” Twitter account.
But Knight first made the announcement in March at the premiere of his new BBC series “This Town.” “I’m genuinely thrilled that this movie is about to happen,” he told Deadline. “It will be an explosive chapter in the ‘Peaky Blinders’ story. No holds barred—full-on Peaky Blinders at war.”
Tom Harper, who directed three episodes on the series’ first season, will helm the film. His previous credits include the BBC One miniseries “War & Peace” (2016); “The Aeronauts” (2019); “Heart of Stone” (2023); and the BAFTA-nominated “Wild Rose” (2018), which was recently adapted into a stage musical.
“When I first directed ‘Peaky Blinders’ over 10 years ago, we didn’t know what the series would become; but we did know that there was something in the alchemy of the cast and the writing that felt explosive,” he told Deadline. “ ‘Peaky’ has always been a story about family, and so it’s incredibly exciting to be reuniting with Steve and Cillian to bring the movie to audiences across the world on Netflix.”
Though plot details for the film are still under wraps, Knight told Deadline in 2022 that he left the plot open for a future movie. He said a potential story would be set during World War II, as Tommy’s ongoing fight against fascism comes to an explosive head.
So far, Murphy is the only actor who’s been officially confirmed. “It seems like Tommy Shelby wasn’t finished with me,” he told Deadline. “It is very gratifying to be re-collaborating with Steven Knight and Tom Harper on the film version of ‘Peaky Blinders.’ This is one for the fans.”
In his series finale debrief with Deadline, Knight teased the potential return of series stars like Khan (as Tommy’s son, Duke) and McCormack (as gang member Isaiah Jesus).
Meanwhile, Hardy has been campaigning to return as Jewish gang leader Alfie Solomons. Earlier this month, he told Sky News, “100%, Alfie will definitely make an appearance, but I don’t know when…and I don’t even know if he will. That’s just me punting.”
The project is currently in preproduction. Though Knight told BirminghamWorld that cameras would begin rolling this September at his recently established Digbeth Loc. Studios in Birmingham, Netflix and BBC Film have yet to confirm the news. (The series was shot in the city from the very beginning, as well as in other locations in Northern England, including Bradford, Dudley, Leeds, and Liverpool.)
While there are still a few months before production gets underway, it’s not too early to figure out how you can become a member of the family. Shaheen Baig (“Lady Macbeth,” “Black Mirror”), who served as the show’s primary CD, will likely also work on the film.
While you wait for audition notices for the film, check out our guides to auditioning for Netflix projects and getting cast in a movie.
If you’re looking to add credits to your résumé in the meantime, keep an eye on our casting roundups, which we update weekly:
- New York Casting Calls
- Background Casting Calls
- The Best Gigs to Kick-Start Your Acting Career
- Nationwide Casting Calls
- Voiceover Casting Calls
Stay tuned for more updates.