Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight has given an exciting update on the Shelby family's upcoming movie debut. The show follows the exploits of the titular British crime gang throughout the early 20th century, with Cillian Murphy leading an ensemble cast as Tommy Shelby, the ambitious patriarch of the Peaky Blinders. The show garnered worldwide acclaim, winning several awards – including a BAFTA for best drama – over its 6-season run, with the Peaky Blinders due to return to the screen in the upcoming movie sequel.
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But how the movie will take shape has remained a question since the show ended its nine-year stint back in April. Season 6's cliffhanger ending saw Tommy discovering the truth about his illness, with the leader riding off into the distance, his belongings burning behind him. Despite originally seeking revenge on the doctor who diagnosed him, Tommy decided to spare the physician, hinting that the former ruthless gang leader had started to change his ways. This left fans wondering if Tommy would look to return to the rest of the Shelby clan, or if he'd choose to seek out a new, peaceful life elsewhere.
And now, fans have their first hint at what the future holds for Tommy and the rest of the Peaky Blinders. While talking to Radio Times, Knight revealed that the Peaky Blinders movie is beginning to take shape, confirming the script is "almost there" and a shooting schedule is now in place. Knight also confirmed that the movie will take place during the Second World War, with the showrunner integrating real-life war stories into the Blinders storyline. Read all of what Knight has to say below.
"Nearly nearly nearly, it's almost there, so, you know, we've got the shooting schedule, we've got the dates for when we start, so that's all going to happen. It's the same rules [as writing the TV show] but I mean, always with Peaky I've tried to make it the same, but different. So every new series has a different sort of purpose."
"I've had this in mind for quite a while now, a story with the Peakys during the Second World War, and I've picked up three true stories that I'm integrating into the film. True, sort of secret and unknown stories about the Second World War, and I've involved the Peaky's in there. I'm always interested because with the Second World War there was so much going on and so much death and destruction, that lots of things happened that didn't really make it into the history books. So it's those things I'm focusing on."
Will The Peaker Blinders Ever Return To Television?
Although the movie is the next big step for the Shelby family, it may not be the last time the Peaky Blinders make it to screen. Knight has recently said that if interest in the franchise continues, the show could return, documenting the lives of the Peaky Blinders throughout the '50s. Of course, just how this happens all depends on the outcome of the upcoming movie, and with Knight confirming that the Peaky Blinders will be returning to war, who lives and who dies could well shape the future of one of TV's biggest sleeper hits.
The Shelbys' involvement in World War II has been on the cards for a while now, with the show quickly approaching the 1940s and spending much of Peaky Blinders seasons 5 and 6 dealing with the rise of fascism, with Sam Claflin offering an electrifying performance as real-life fascist leader Oswald Mosley. How Tommy and his family again deal with the repercussions of war will make for an interesting watch, especially as much of the Peaky Blinders' history has been shaped by war and its aftereffects. Whatever happens, it's unlikely the movie will be the last time Birmingham's most infamous gang appear on screens, with interest in the Peaky Blinders only seeming to grow.