Cillian Murphy and Barry Keoghan, two renowned Irish actors, reunite in the highly anticipated Peaky Blinders film. In a 70-second teaser released by Netflix on Christmas Eve, Murphy questions his identity as the 'famous gypsy gangster' Tommy Shelby. The film sees Tommy return from self-imposed exile during World War II, with a voiceover asking, 'Whatever happened to Tommy Shelby?' Murphy's response is clear: 'I'm not that man anymore.' A separate clip shows him walking with his head down, wearing his iconic bakerboy cap, while a female voice urges him to return. A glimpse of Keoghan's character, adorned in a white vest top with tattoos, also makes an appearance. The movie serves as a continuation of the popular BBC drama series, which chronicled the rise of the Shelby crime family in Birmingham. The show's six seasons, spanning the end of World War I to the end of Prohibition in the US, introduced beloved characters like Ada Shelby, Hayden Stagg, and Johnny Dogs. New additions to the cast include Saltburn actor Keoghan, Dune star Rebecca Ferguson, and Reservoir Dogs actor Tim Roth. Directed by Tom Harper and written by creator Steven Knight, the film is set for release in cinemas on March 6, 2025, and will be available on Netflix from March 20. The BBC recently announced a spin-off series, set in 1953, focusing on a 'new generation of Shelbys' and filmed at Digbeth Loc Studios in Birmingham. Murphy, who will executive produce, has not yet confirmed if he will reprise his role as the protagonist. This spin-off joins other Peaky Blinders-related projects, including a ballet by Rambert Studios and the sixth series, which concluded in 2022 after Tommy's near-suicide due to false information about a brain tumour. Peaky Blinders first aired on BBC Two in 2013 and later moved to Netflix, gaining global acclaim and launching the careers of Murphy, Tom Hardy, Anya Taylor-Joy, and the late Helen McCrory. The show's impact extended beyond the screen, sparking a trend for flat caps and cementing its place as a cultural phenomenon.
