
Peaky Blinders' Steven Knight teases 'brilliant' movie and addresses future
Peaky Blinders mastermind Steven Knight has dropped tantalising hints about the forthcoming big-screen version of the hard-hitting drama, reports the Express.
During an exclusive conversation with Reach Screen Time, Knight declared the film was "brilliant".
He went on: "We're a long way down the road and it's really, really good. So, hopefully people will look forward to it."
Knight suggested the Peaky Blinders world appeared to have its own momentum, whilst discussing the movie's position within the franchise: "The series runs and then it felt natural to conclude that part of the story, not the whole world, but that part of the story.
"With the movie, thankfully, it's worked really well. Then we looked to the future and who knows what other forms Peaky could take?"
Netflix had previously announced that shooting on the Peaky Blinders film had concluded back in December 2024 and offered a sneak peek, though no launch date has been revealed as yet. There are also hopes of a new series.
Nevertheless, Peaky Blinders enthusiasts have another treat to get excited about: Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby, which opens at the iconic Sadler's Wells Theatre next month.
The dance production initially premiered in 2022 in Peaky's home city of Birmingham, before launching national and European tours.
Knight disclosed that from Paris to Istanbul, shows of Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby had earned standing ovations, even during afternoon performances. Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby emerged after renowned dance troupe Rambert, which has existed since the 1920s, was initially recruited to choreograph sequences for a fifth series episode featuring a Swan Lake performance at Tommy Shelby's (portrayed by Cillian Murphy) countryside estate.
Knight collaborated with Rambert's artistic director Benoit Swan Pouffer on the ballet production, with the creator crafting the screenplay whilst the latter handled choreographic responsibilities.
The theatrical production centres on the romantic tale between Tommy Shelby and his initial spouse, Grace Burgess (Annabelle Wallis), with their relationship proving a viewer favourite.
Knight hinted that devotees of the programme would witness an alternative perspective of the criminal mastermind that offered a "deeper" interpretation than his television counterpart.
He continued: "It's a much more intimate portrayal of who he is."
Looking back on the triumph of the Peaky Blinders television series, which drew inspiration from tales he encountered about Birmingham during his childhood, Knight remarked: "I think the whole thing about Peaky has been quite remarkable really."
He hadn't originally anticipated the BBC programme would achieve such global acclaim, yet he was thoroughly wrong and observed that Peaky Blinders enthusiasts stretched from Argentina to China.
Notable admirers of Peaky Blinders include Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Snoop Dogg and David Beckham, amongst others.
Meanwhile, the programme has generated a festival, a video game, and even a Primark partnership. Indeed, the Peaky Blinders craze has infiltrated the national psyche, with baby names such as Arthur and Ada seeing a surge in popularity, as per the Office of National Statistics.
Knight expressed that the reception was "great" and it gave him the confidence to transform Peaky Blinders into a dance show, confessing that the stage production's success was "beyond expectations".
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