Earlier this month, Netflix announced via their official Instagram account that the filming of a “Peaky Blinders” movie is now underway. To the excitement of fans, the announcement included two pictures; one was of Irish actor Cillian Murphy (“28 Days Later,” “Oppenheimer”) walking in front of a garish brick wall, dressed as an older, even more, pensive-looking Thomas Shelby.
The other was also of Murphy, but this time he was on set sitting next to British screenwriter, producer, and creator of “Peaky Blinders,” Steven Knight.
The captions of these pictures read, “By order of the Peaky Blinders…Tommy Shelby is back. Cillian Murphy and Steven Knight are reunited on set as production officially starts on the upcoming Netflix film.”
What is ‘Peaky Blinders’ About?
For those of you not familiar with the popular six-season Netflix series, Peaky Blinders is a historical drama that takes place in Birmingham, England between World War I and II. Although historical fiction, it should be noted that part of the series’ appeal is that it is loosely based on real figures in history as well as historical events that genuinely did occur.
“Peaky Blinders” main storyline centers around the exploits of the Shelby Family run by patriarch Thomas “Tommy” Shelby, played by Cillian Murphy. Over its six seasons, this gangster drama follows Shelby’s rise to power as the leader of a prominent street gang known as the “Peaky Blinders.”
It is through the process of Shelby and his family’s rise to power that the audience experiences the political upheaval and instability of the time along with some phenomenal storytelling, top-notch acting, and a soundtrack that even Guy Ritchie would be proud of.
What is Being Said About the ‘Peaky Blinders’ Movie?
“I’m thrilled to see the cameras rolling on this new chapter of the ‘Peaky Blinders’ story, set during World War II,” explained Steven Knight on the Netflix companion site Tudum. “The country is at war, and so, of course, are our Peaky Blinders.”
If the show’s creator Steven Knight’s words were not exciting enough for fans, Cillian Murphy had this to say, “It seems like Tommy Shelby wasn’t finished with me…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.”
Who Will Be in the ‘Peaky Blinders’ Movie?
Although the production and filming for the “Peaky Blinders” movie is still in its very early and somewhat secretive stages, there have been some initial details released to fans to get their mouths watering.
Particularly, new-coming cast members, whose roles are still yet to be determined, on the show will include Barry Keoghan (“Saltburn,” “Dunkirk”), Tim Roth (“Pulp Fiction,” “Reservoir Dogs”), and Jessica Ferguson (“Mission Impossible,” “Dune”).
Returning to the “Peaky Blinders” world will be Cillian Murphy, Sophie Rundle (Ada Shelby), Packy Lee (Johnny Dogs), Ned Dennehy (Charlie Strong), Ian Peck (Curly), and Stephen Graham, (Hayden Stagg).
It’s still not known whether mainstay “Peaky Blinders” cast members such as Paul Anderson (Arthur Shelby), Natasha O’Keefe (Lizzie Stark/Shelby), and Tom Hardy (Alfie Solomons) will be returning but it is hard to imagine a “Peaky Blinders” movie without them.
Hardy did however tease the return of the fast-talking, Jewish crime boss, Alfie Solomons when he told Sky News this past June, “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.”
What Else is Being Said About the ‘Peaky Blinders’ Movie?
The film, which was written by Knight and revealed by him to be set during World War II, will be directed by Tom Harper (“The Aeronauts,” “War Book”). Having already directed some of the show’s episodes for season one, Harper is no newcomer to “Peaky Blinders.”
“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,” Harper said. “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.”
Other than being set during World War II, very little is known about the upcoming “Peaky Blinders” movie. With no working title nor a release date for the movie, Knight had one last comment to captivate and further excite “Peaky” fans.
“I’m genuinely thrilled that this movie is about to happen,” exclaimed Knight. “It will be an explosive chapter in the Peaky Blinders story. No holds barred. Full-on Peaky Blinders at war.”