The iconic Tommy Shelby is poised to make a triumphant return, affirming that the Peaky Blinders are a force to be reckoned with. Steven Knight, the mastermind behind the series, has recently announced that Cillian Murphy, fresh from his Oscar victory, will reprise his role in an upcoming movie continuation of the beloved British crime saga. "He's definitely coming back for it," Knight confirmed during a recent interview. "We're set to begin filming in September, right here in Digbeth, England."
Murphy himself expressed enthusiasm for revisiting Tommy Shelby in a film adaptation during a 2022 interview, stating, "I do hope we'll make a film, and Steve is very keen on it as well." He added, "I believe there's still more story to tell."
Originally debuting on BBC Two and later transitioning to BBC One for its fifth season in 2018, Peaky Blinders captured audiences worldwide when it began streaming on Netflix. The series, spanning from 2013 to 2022 across six seasons, chronicles the exploits of gangster Tommy Shelby and his Peaky Blinders gang, drawing inspiration from the real-life activities of a Birmingham gang in the aftermath of World War I.
Knight has long envisioned extending the Peaky Blinders narrative beyond its television run, with plans for a film and potential spin-offs. "I'm considering this the conclusion of the first chapter," Knight remarked in a previous interview. "We'll conclude the series as it stands now, but we'll proceed with the film, which we aim to shoot in about 18 months or so... After that, depending on the film's structure, we'll explore spin-offs within the same universe."
As the Peaky Blinders expanded universe takes shape, fans eagerly anticipate Murphy's reprisal of the enigmatic Tommy Shelby, donning his signature attire.