Cillian Murphy Confirmed To Star In WWII-Set ‘Peaky Blinders’ Movie
The franchise-concluding “Peaky Blinders” movie starts production in September.
Hot off his Best Actor win at the Oscars for Oppenheimer , Cillian Murphy will step into Thomas Shelby’s Oxford shoes one last time for a Peaky Blinders movie.
Variety reports that Steven Knight, creator of the BBC’s beloved gangster drama, confirmed that Murphy is “definitely” returning to reprise the role and even revealed a 2024 production start date.
“He definitely is returning for it. We’re shooting it in September just down the road in Digbeth,” Knight told Birmingham World at the premiere of his new BBC drama The Town.
Knight had previously revealed that the feature-film conclusion to the Peaky Blinders saga will be set during WWII, picking up several years after the events of Season 6, which took place in 1933 and 1934. Other details remain a mystery to all but Knight for now.
“The film, I know exactly what it’s about. And I know what two stories it’s going to tell,” the creator told Esquire before the series finale aired. “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.”
It can also be inferred that Murphy is impressed by the script, given his past statements about playing the Birmingham gangster once more.
“If there’s more story there, I’d love to do it,” Murphy told Rolling Stone U.K. “But it has to be right. Steve Knight wrote 36 hours of television, and we left on such a high. I’m really proud of that last series. So, it would have to feel legitimate and justified to do more.”
Murphy explained more to the Irish Star last month ahead of winning the Oscar: “I have always said that if Knight delivers a script that I know he can deliver, because he is such a phenomenal writer, I’ll be there. If we want to watch 50-year-old Tommy Shelby, I will be there. Let’s do it.”
After Peaky Blinders wraps, Murphy would make an excellent James Bond, at least according to this former 007 star.