Oscar-winning actor Cillian Murphy is ready to don his razor blade hat again as the gang boss Tommy Shelby for a Peaky Blinders movie. The BBC/Netflix follow-up film is finally coming together, with plans to shoot in September, says Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight. Speaking with Birmingham World, Knight confirmed Murphy’s return for the anticipated project, saying cameras will roll later this year in Digbeth, England.
Peaky Blinders got its start on BBC Two before migrating to BBC One. With enough time, Netflix hosted the show on its streaming network, where fans worldwide wished to join Shelby’s crew. Peaky Blinders ran for six seasons from 2013 to 2022, with the story set in 1900s England, where a gang who sew razor blades into the peaks of their caps rule the streets. While one of Hollywood’s biggest names, Murphy remains loyal to Steven Knight and his beloved Peaky Blinders series. Murphy repeatedly said that he’d return to the role of Thomas Shelby if the script were right, and it appears that the time is now.
“The film, I know exactly what it’s about. And I know what two stories it’s going to tell,” Knight told Esquire in 2022. “What will happen after that, I want that to depend on the film. For all we know somebody is going to pop out – I think I know who it’s going to be.”
Murphy is riding a career-high after winning the prize for Best Actor at the 96th Academy Awards for his performance in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. Nolan’s latest opening is one of the five most successful films at the Oscars, taking home prizes for Best Original Score, Best Film Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Supporting Actor (Rober Downey Jr.), Best Actor (Cillian Murphy), Best Director (Christopher Nolan), and Best Picture.
Thomas Shelby is one of Murphy’s most iconic roles, and fans of the gang drama have waited for a Peaky Blinders follow-up since the series concluded in 2022.
Are you excited about Steven Knight and Cillian Murphy getting the band back together for a Peaky Blinders movie? Is there a particular character you hope will return for more fine-suited warfare? Let us know in the comments section below.