Hit gangster drama Peaky Blinders, starring Cillian Murphy, Tom Hardy and many more, looks like it’s set to return to TV screens following the release of movie The Immortal Man later this year, although there could be a couple of major changes ahead.
The movie was intended to be the show’s swansong after six successful TV series between 2013 and 2022 set from the late 1910s through to the outbreak of WWII. The movie is expected to pick up during the Second World War but now, according to The Sun, the show’s creators are looking to capitalise on its popularity by launching a new chapter set during the height of Reggie and Ronnie Kray’s fame in the London crime scene – a move that could see it not only jump significantly forward in time, but also switch its Birmingham location for the capital.
The switch could also have a major impact on where the show is shot, with locations in and around Manchester regularly standing in for Birmingham throughout the show’s previous run.
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An insider told the paper: “The sixth series of Peaky Blinders was supposed to be the last and the movie was meant to be the final farewell for the story.
“But show boss Steven Knight couldn’t resist coming back to the story — his most famous creation — and he’s been dropping hints he wanted to return to do more.
“But the fact that it’s been officially green-lit by the Beeb and wheels are in motion on pre- production will be a huge thrill to fans of the show, which was a huge hit for the BBC.”
Reports also suggest Cillian Murphy could return for the spin-off series, acting as a “father figure” to younger gangsters, although the BBC is yet to comment. Previous series have screened on the BBC in the UK, while Netflix has carried the show internationally.
Some of the show’s most celebrated Manchester locations include Castlefield, which was extensively used to recreate the streets of Small Heath, Birmingham; the Northern Quarter, which was used for several scenes set in the 1920s, and Victoria Baths, whose ornate interior was used for horse fair scenes in season two. The historic manor house at Arley Hall in Cheshire also served as Tommy Shelby’s estate.
