“If we want to watch 50-year-old Tommy Shelby, I will be there. Let’s do it”
Cillian Murphy has revealed that he would be interested in reprising his role of Tommy Shelby in a Peaky Blinders movie.
he Irish actor, who gained major recognition for his portrayal of the Birmingham gangster was seen at a meeting last month with the show’s creator, Steven Knight in Soho, London.
According to the Irish Star, Murphy has said that he would be keen to reprise the role, which he played for a decade over six seasons of the award-winning show.
“I have always said that if Knight delivers a script that I know he can deliver, because he is such a phenomenal writer, I’ll be there,” shared the 47-year-old.
“If we want to watch 50-year-old Tommy Shelby, I will be there. Let’s do it.”
This follows comments made by the actor over the last two years, after the series came to a dramatic cliff-hanger ending. “I’m totally open to the idea but I also do think it was kind of a perfect six seasons,” said Murphy. “It’s sometimes hard to move into the film format and I do like the ambiguity of the ending. But I’m always open to a great script.”
Netflix is reportedly developing two separate spin-off shows based on characters from the crime drama series. These are set to follow the Shelby gang’s operations in Boston, as well as a prequel about the life of a young Polly Gray, who was played by Helen McCrory in the original series.
In January, Knight confirmed that production on a Peaky Blinders movie would get underway this year, with shooting to begin midway through 2024. The film is expected to be set during and after World War II, with Knight saying that viewers should “expect the unexpected”.
In other news, last night Murphy received the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in Christopher Nolan’s biopic, Oppenheimer. Murphy received wide critical acclaim for his portrayal of theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, and the movie received seven awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.
