Would Cilian Murphy return to ‘Peaky Blinders?’

The buzz around an imminent Peaky Blinders spinoff movie has remained feverish ever since the show’s creator, Steven Knight, announced plans for a film installment in 2021. The sixth and final season of the original television series wrapped up the events of Tommy Shelby in a neat (but somewhat ambigious) bow, but that hasn’t stopped Knight from wanting to further explore the stories of the titular Birmingham crime gang, including a potential role for lead actor Cillian Murphy. 

The film version of Peaky Blinders — which will arrive in lieu of a seventh season — began shooting in 2023. Knight has previously explained how the decision to go ahead with a movie was made as a result of the COVID pandemic, which put a halt on plans for a seventh season. While plot details remain unknown, Knight said the film will mark the “end of the road” for Peaky Blinders’ story, and revealed that he had been in talks with multiple actors to join the cast. 

The question on everyone’s lips in the years since Tommy Shelby left our screens, however, is whether Murphy himself will reprise his role and return to the Peaky Blinders movie. 

Would Cillian Murphy return to Peaky Blinders?

All signs seem to point to yes. Knight himself has said that he envisions Shelby being a part of the Peaky Blinders movie in some capacity, telling Digital Spy that he hopes to “redeem” the beloved character by the story’s end. Knight revealed that he’d be interested in exploring Shelby’s post-traumatic stress following the First World War, though it’s not yet known whether his appearance would be in the form of flashback, limited cameo, or main cast role. 

As for the actor who brought Shelby to life, Murphy has remained somewhat coy when questioned about a potential return to Peaky Blinders. In an interview with Rolling Stone, the actor said he’d “love to do it,” but only if the script felt “legitimate and justified.” Murphy praised the season six conclusion, and said he’d appear in the film only if he feels as if “there’s more story there.” 

While those comments might be enough to signal a return, Murphy again responded to speculation around reprising Tommy Shelby in a 2023 interview with Variety. Taking part in an actors-on-actors interview with Margot Robbie (the two faces of the 2023 Barbenheimer movie-going craze) Murphy again said he’d be open to the film role only if the story warrants more exploration. 

Murphy again cited the series finale as evidence that perhaps Peaky Blinders has already run its course, before mentioning that “it’s sometimes hard to move into the film format.” Robbie argued that “of course” there’s more story to tell, and Murphy reiterated his interest if the script was good enough. 

While Murphy’s tight-lipped responses don’t provide official confirmation, Knight’s proven ability to craft expert scripts might just persuade the actor to return to the Peaky Blinders film. In any case, we’ll have to wait and see; a release date for the Peaky Blinders movie has not yet been announced.