Thomas Shelby is making a comeback.
Oscar winner Cillian Murphy will reprise his role as the formidable gangster in a “Peaky Blinders” film on Netflix. The film will be directed by Tom Harper (“Heart of Stone,” “Wild Rose”), who directed episodes of the show’s first season in 2013.
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Peaky Blinders: The Film Receives Official Green Light and Exciting Statements from Cast and Crew
In March, Knight confirmed to Birmingham World that the movie was progressing with Murphy on board. He had previously informed Deadline about the movie’s likelihood. However, this marks the first official confirmation with a studio greenlight.
“It seems like Tommy Shelby wasn’t finished with me. … It is very gratifying to be recollaborating with Steven Knight and Tom Harper on the film version of ‘Peaky Blinders.’ This is one for the fans,” Murphy said in a statement.
Over the years, and more recently, Murphy has consistently expressed his openness to returning for a Peaky Blinders film if the script met his standards, with Knight also indicating his interest and commitment to such a project. In a 2022 interview with Esquire, Knight shared, “The film, I know exactly what it’s about. And I know what two stories it’s going to tell… For all we know somebody is going to pop out – I think I know who it’s going to be.”
“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. ‘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,” Harper added.
The next chapter of the saga, situated in the lawless avenues of Birmingham during the 1900s, has been penned by the show’s creator, Steven Knight. Knight will collaborate in production with Cillian Murphy, Caryn Mandabach, and Guy Heeley. Serving as executive producers are Tom Harper, David Kosse, Jamie Glazebrook, Andrew Warren, and David Mason.
“I’m genuinely thrilled that this movie is about to happen,” Knight said. “It will be an explosive chapter in the ‘Peaky Blinders’ story. No holds barred. Full on ‘Peaky Blinders’ at war.”
Plot specifics and additional casting details are being kept confidential. Production for the film is scheduled to commence later this year and will be conducted in collaboration with BBC Film.
From Peaky Blinders to Global Acclaim: Cillian Murphy’s Career Milestones and Latest Ventures
Peaky, a worldwide sensation, debuted on BBC Two in the UK in 2013, with Netflix joining the distribution in 2014. Following its fourth season’s BAFTA win for Best Drama, the series moved from BBC Two to BBC One in 2019. Ultimately, the show concluded its six-season run in 2022.
During the finale, Murphy’s character Tommy settled various conflicts, including the demise of his cousin Michael (Finn Cole), before departing, leaving the family business in the hands of his sister Ada (Sophie Rundle).3
Prior to winning the Best Actor Academy Award for Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer in March, Murphy was busy both acting in and producing Small Things Like These, which premiered at this year’s Berlin Film Festival. Simultaneously, he launched his production company, Big Things Films, alongside Alan Moloney. Currently, he’s involved in filming Steve, an adaptation of Max Porter’s book Shy, which Murphy and Moloney are producing under Big Things for Netflix.
Additionally, Murphy has signed on for Blood Runs Coal, based on Mark A Bradley’s book about the murder of union leader Joseph Yablonski, a project preemptively acquired by Oppenheimer studio Universal.
While Shelby was arguably Murphy’s most iconic role, he recently reached a career peak with Christopher Nolan’s historical epic Oppenheimer for Universal, portraying the theoretical physicist behind the atomic bomb. His performance in the star-studded ensemble drama earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor, along with a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, and numerous other accolades.
Now among the most sought-after actors in the industry, Murphy’s latest film, the Irish drama Small Things Like These from Artists Equity — the production company of Ben Affleck and his Oppenheimer co-star Matt Damon — premiered to critical acclaim at the Berlin Film Festival in February.
Murphy is represented by CAA, Lou Coulson Associates, David Weber, and Main Stage PR; Harper is represented by Josh Varney at 42 and Rob Carlson at UTA.
