Peaky Blinders star Cillian Murphy — who plays main protagonist Tommy Shelby — did not mince words when discussing the tone of the period crime drama’s upcoming sixth and final season.
In a recent interview with Esquire, the Dark Knight Trilogy alum described Peaky Blinders Season 6 as being “dark as fuck.” Furthermore, while Murphy and Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight have often discussed the show potentially redeeming the character of Tommy before all is said and done, Murphy isn’t sure if true redemption is in the cards after all.
“I think that’s what Steve was aiming for, with loads of wrong turns along the way,” Murphy said. “But I don’t know. I’ll leave that to the court of public opinion. I don’t know if he’s been redeemed.” Esquire notes that the “court of public opinion” has largely swung in Tommy’s favor, much to Murphy’s surprise.
“Duality is what I’m interested in,” the actor said, “that thing of: how the fuck can he be such a sensitive, good father but commit this heinous fucking act? People are willing to spend an awful long time with characters who, if someone described them to you in daily life, you would say, ‘Keep that person away from me.’ Is it only in television that that exists?”
Set in Birmingham, England in the aftermath of World War I, Peaky Blinders follows the exploits of the titular street gang, led by Murphy’s Tommy. Tommy’s gang is loosely based on the real-life Peaky Blinders, a youth gang that was active in Birmingham from the 1890s to the 1910s. The series initially premiered in the United Kingdom on BBC Two in 2013. For its fifth season in 2019, it jumped to BBC One, which will also air the upcoming sixth season. Thanks to a licensing deal, viewers in the United States have been able to watch Peaky Blinders on Netflix since 2014.
Back in May 2018, Knight confirmed that Season 6 was definitely happening and that Season 7 was a possibility. Production on Season 6 was originally slated to begin in March 2020, though was put on hold due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Season 6 had finally entered production as of January 2021, at which point it was confirmed that Peaky Blinders‘ sixth season would also be its last, though the story would continue in “another form.”
According to Knight, the plan is to make a feature-length Peaky Blinders movie in lieu of a seventh TV season. “COVID changed our plans,” he said. “But I can say that my plan from the beginning was to end Peaky with a movie. That is what is going to happen.” However, while Knight recently told Esquire that the Peaky Blinders team would be making the movie “in the next 18 months to two years” and that Murphy’s Tommy Shelby would be involved, Murphy himself has now told the outlet that he is out of the loop on the matter.
“Mmm, talk,” Murphy said. “I’m open to ideas. I think [Knight] wants to, but I haven’t read anything.” Murphy also confirmed that with Season 6 in the can, his contractual obligations for Peaky Blinders are over as of right now. “I’m free! Haha!” he said.
Peaky Blinders Season 6 does not have an official release date.
Source: Esquire
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