It feels like an age since we've last seen Peaky Blinders on our screens after the hit series came to end with its sixth season.

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The Birmingham gangster saga went from being a small series on BBC Two to soon becoming one of the biggest show's globally, and fans have been waiting patiently for news about the talked-about film.

While we know season 7 isn't in the pipeline, Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight thankfully wants to keep the world alive with a feature film – and it seems as though the budget for the new production may just see the film rival that of James Bond, according to Knight.

In a recent interview with The Mirror, Knight revealed: “The biggest difference between a film and TV series is the budget. When you do stuff for TV, you often have to ask people to imagine it. But with a film, you can really do it. You can blow stuff up. Will Tommy be giving James Bond a run for his money?

“Maybe. There are parallels. We always thought of Peaky as very cinematic, so we are finally finding a screen big enough for what we want to do.”

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Knight also recently collected the TRIC Award for Best Drama for Peaky Blinders, teasing further possibilities for the Peaky Blinders universe. He said: “We could never have predicted how much this series about Birmingham ­gangsters in the 20s and 30s would resonate. Some things just seem to have momentum and luck, and they stick, and everyone working on them feels that. What is coming next? It’s to be announced. But it’s not the end.”

Although the news of the film was initially confirmed by Knight in January 2021, there's been no word yet on an official release date for the film but Knight did exclusively reveal to RadioTimes.com that "it's coming and it's soon".

He also revealed that there will be some new characters for fans to meet and that the film is set in the Second World War. He said that it will be "the same but different" and that viewers should "expect the unexpected".

Knight has also offered a fair few hints about what we can expect from the film's plot, so read on for everything we know so far about the Peaky Blinders movie.

Peaky Blinders movie release date speculation

Unfortunately, there's still not word on the confirmed release date for the Peaky Blinders film. Knight revealed in a 2022 interview that he hoped to be shooting "within 18 months" suggesting that the film could be shot by the end of 2023, making a late 2024 cinema release date seem likely.

However, it's all up in the air at the moment and with Knight working on a second season of SAS Rogue Heroes, a new Shakespeare series with Happy Valley's Sarah Lancashire, upcoming BBC series This Town, Taboo season 2 and A Thousand Blows, it seems as though the screenwriter, producer and director is busier than ever.

That's also not to mention the fact that leading man Tommy Shelby, who is played by Cillian Murphy, is set to lead the cast of one of the most talked-about films of the year, Oppenheimer.

Let's just hope the busy schedules align for some Peaky Blinders film release date clarity soon. Of course, should any more concrete facts about a release date be made known, we'll be sure to update this article with all the anticipated details.

Anya Taylor-Joy as Gina Gray sat on a couch in Peaky Blinders
Anya Taylor-Joy as Gina Gray in Peaky Blinders. BBC/Robert Viglasky

Who will be in the Peaky Blinders movie cast?

Here is a list of characters from the Peaky Blinders cast who could return for the movie.

  • Cillian Murphy as Thomas “Tommy” Shelby
  • Natasha O’Keeffe as Elizabeth "Lizzie" Shelby (née Stark)
  • Paul Anderson as Arthur Shelby
  • Sophie Rundle as Ada Thorne (née Shelby)
  • Kate Phillips as Linda Shelby
  • Aimee-Ffion Edwards as Esme Shelby-Lee
  • Ian Peck as Curly
  • Harry Kirton as Finn Shelby
  • Ned Dennehy as Charlie Strong
  • Benjamin Zephaniah as Jeremiah "Jimmy" Jesus
  • Packy Lee as Johnny Dogs
  • Daryl McCormack as Isiah Jesus
  • Neil Maskell as Winston Churchill
  • Pauline Turner as Frances
  • Amber Anderson as Diana, Lady Mosley (née Mitford)
  • James Frecheville as Jack Nelson
  • Conrad Khan as Erasmus “Duke” Shelby
  • Billy Jenkins as Charles Shelby
  • Callum Booth-Ford as Karl Thorne
  • Aneurin Barnard as Dr Holford
  • Stephen Graham as Hayden Stagg
  • Anya Taylor-Joy as Gina Gray
  • Sam Claflin as Sir Oswald Mosley
  • Tom Hardy as Alfred “Alfie” Solomons

The big question had been whether Tommy Shelby would survive the end of the series – but it looks as though the leading actor will be reprising his iconic role.

Speaking to Dermot Whelan and Dave Moore on Today FM in October 2022, Murphy said: "I’ve still not read it but that’s the plan, the plan is to make a film and to continue the story but in the cinematic world rather than on the television.

"The television part of the story is finished. If there’s more stories to tell, I’m there, I just haven’t read it yet – but it’s close apparently."

Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby in Peaky Blinders
Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby in Peaky Blinders. BBC/Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd/Robert Viglasky

Steven Knight had already confirmed that Cillian Murphy would reprise the role in some capacity in the film and when asked whether Tommy and his brother Arthur would still feature in the Peaky Blinders world after season 6, Knight told Digital Spy: "It's impossible to say yet. But the film – yes.

As for who else might feature, it's too early to say – but Peaky Blinders has introduced a huge amount of iconic characters throughout its run and we'd expect many of them to make appearances.

In particular, we'd expect the stars who play Shelby family members to make appearances, with Paul Anderson, Sophie Rundle, Finn Cole, Natasha O'Keefe, and Harry Kirton among those likely to play a role.

But in February 2023, Rundle revealed to RadioTimes.com that she was yet to hear anything about the film.

Promoting her recent Alibi crime drama The Diplomat, the actress was asked whether she had heard anything about preparations for the film and said: "I have not but actors are genuinely the last people to be told anything because we sit here and then we tell you! There are rumours, who knows? I think the appetite for that will be generated by the fans, I guess."

Conrad Khan as Duke Shelby in Peaky Blinders
Conrad Khan as Duke Shelby in Peaky Blinders. BBC/Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd/Robert Viglasky

Season 6 newcomer Conrad Khan is keen to reprise his role as Erasmus "Duke" Shelby but is uncertain at present if this will happen. On a potential return, Khan said to RadioTimes.com: "I hope so. I hope so. [Steven Knight] hasn't spoken to me about it. I don't think he even knows in his mind what he wants to take it next. But yeah, who knows?"

And then there are big-name stars such as Tom Hardy, Anya Taylor-Joy, Stephen Graham and Sam Claflin, at least a couple of whom we'd expect to see – while we could also see a few high-profile additions to the cast.

Of Tommy's enemies, Sir Oswald Mosley (Claflin) and his wife Diana (Amber Anderson) remain at large and at the height of their influence.

Characters who cannot return (unless as a ghost or in flashback) include Michael Gray (Finn Cole), Billy Grade (Emmett J. Scanlan) and Captain Swing/Laura McKee (Charlene McKenna), after all being killed off in the series finale.

Knight also recently teased that the film will feature "some new faces that will hopefully be quite surprising", and with the show having plenty of celebrity fans, we could be seeing some new famous faces coming to Birmingham for the new outing.

What will happen in the Peaky Blinders movie?

Cillian Murphy leans on a bar as Tommy Shelby in Peaky Blinders
Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) will be back for the film - but what happens to him? BBC/Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd./Robert Viglasky

It's safe to say that plot details for the film have been kept a closely guarded secret for now but we do have a few hints about what to expect.

Specifically, Knight has revealed that the film will be set during the Second World War, claiming he always wanted the saga to end with the conflict.

Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, Knight said: "I know what's going to happen in those stories and it's about a sort of untold story that happened in the Second World War, which Peakys are going to be involved in."

He also revealed that Polly Gray, who was played by the late Helen McCrory will, "remain a fundamental part of the movie".

In another exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com, Knight also said that the Peaky Blinders movie will be "the same but different", adding that viewers should "expect the unexpected". What that could be exactly, we're not sure - but it sounds exciting nonetheless.

Given that Tommy is alive at the end of Peaky Blinders and is not, in fact, terminally ill as he had been lead to believe, the stage is set for an almighty comeback.

Sam Claflin and Amber Anderson as Oswald Mosley and Diana Mitford in Peaky Blinders
Sir Oswald Mosley and Lady Diana Mosley remain in a position of influence at the end of the series. BBC/Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd/Robert Viglasky

There are multiple adversaries to deal with in the coming film, not least the newly married Sir Oswald Mosley and Lady Diana Mosley - who appear to have been behind the fake diagnosis delivered by Dr Holford.

Tommy fighting the British Union of Fascists and Nazis? Yes, please!

Jack Nelson (James Frecheville) and Gina Gray (Anya Taylor-Joy) are also still alive, so maybe they will want revenge on Tommy for what happened to Michael and their plan.

Meanwhile, there are multiple members of the Shelby family still living and who could return. We shall just have to wait and see who!

A potential rivalry has already been set up between Tommy's illegitimate son Erasmus "Duke" Shelby and his now exiled uncle Finn Shelby, so we imagine that will feature.

Of course, we also now know that Knight doesn't envisage the film as the last outing for Peaky Blinders, so we'll also have to keep an eye out for any other Peaky-related announcements.

Is there a trailer for the Peaky Blinders movie?

Sophie Rundle as Ada Thorne in Peaky Blinders
Ada Thorne (Sophie Rundle) will likely return for the film - but will she be a politician? BBC/Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd./Robert Viglasky

No, and we're not expecting a trailer for some time, with the planned start of production still months away.

That said, as soon as any teasers arrive we'll post them right here, so keep checking back for all the latest updates.

Who will direct the Peaky Blinders movie?

It appears that Anthony Byrne will direct the Peaky Blinders movie.

While not officially confirmed, an interview with Byrne for The Times saw the director say of the film: "Myself, Steve and Cillian are talking about it right now. It’s the next [job for us] and will continue the story of Tommy Shelby."

Byrne directed all the episodes in seasons 5 and 6 of Peaky Blinders.

Read more:

Peaky Blinders seasons 1-6 are available to watch on BBC iPlayer. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Drama hub for the latest news.

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