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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Kyle O'Sullivan

Peaky Blinders film date, which characters will appear and tantalising plot leaks

Devastatingly, Peaky Blinders is coming to an explosive end on our screens tonight.

After six incredible series of the Birmingham-based gangster drama, the curtain is finally coming down on the Shelby family.

There are still a lot of questions left to be answered and millions of viewers will be desperate to see what fate has in store from Tommy Shelby after that shocking diagnosis.

However, it may be the final ever episode of the hit BBC show, but it will return in another visual format.

A Peaky Blinders spin-off film is already in the works - with any cast members who remain alive after tonight's series finale expected to be returning.

There will also be a plethora of new stars joining the mob world, possibly including a Line of Duty legend, so here's everything we currently know about the film.

The lads will be back on the big screen (BBC/Caryn Mandabach/Robert Viglasky)

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Peaky Blinders creator Stephen Knight has revealed that the film will revolve around a previously 'untold' story from World War 2.

"I know exactly what’s going to happen, I know what the story is and I’m writing at the moment," he told Metro last month.

"It's a very specific story, that's based on a true story from the Second World War and will be told in the Peaky way."

Despite things looking rather worrying for Tommy's health, Knight has previously claimed that Cillian Murphy's character and his brother Arthur (played by Paul Anderson) will both be in the big screen adventure.

When asked whether Tommy and Arthur would still be part of that world beyond series 6, Steven told Digital Spy: "It's impossible to say yet. But the film – yes.

"We're going to make a film – a feature film – which will move the world on, and then once we've moved the world on into the Second World, we'll see where that takes us.

"It's now a situation where the world… you know, around the world, the Peaky world, it's got so much energy, and so much following, and such a huge fanbase, that you think: 'Well, let's just carry on.' So we do."

The Peaky Blinders film will revolve around World War 2 (Press Association Images)

For years, Steven had stated that the TV series would end with the first air-raid sirens being heard over Birmingham at the start of World War 2.

The original plans was to have seven series of the show and then a film until Covid happened, but now such scenes will probably be witnessed in the upcoming movie, which is expected to be released in 2023.

"It was always Britain between the wars – how the lesson from one war was not learned and was repeated," Knight told Empire in January this year.

"t’s also the end of empire: we enter the Second World War and by the end of it, there is no empire, really. But I… have revised the scope of what it is. It will now go into and beyond the Second World War.

"Because I just think the energy that is out there in the world for this, I want to keep it going, and I want to see how this can progress beyond that."

Cillian had previously downplayed any talk of a movie, claiming he was open to the opportunity but it was down to the show creator to decide.

"Mmm, talk," said Murphy ahead of the launch of the final series. "I’m open to ideas. I think [Steven] wants to, but I haven’t read anything."

Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight with their Best Drama Award in 2020 (Getty Images)
Knight says Helen's character will be a big part of the movie (EMPICS Entertainment)

Sadly, Helen McCrory did not feature in the final season after she tragically passed away last year.

However, her character Aunt Polly remained a crucial part of the show and this will continue in the movie version.

"The death of the human being is the tragedy. The death of the character is something you can deal with, and hopefully we dealt with it in a suitable way," explained Knight.

"Helen was so brilliant. When anything happened in the rest of the series, I wanted people to think, 'What would Polly say?' It’s like a family when someone passes away, their opinion remains in the house. Polly’s opinion is going to last."

When asked if this would carry on into the film, he added: "Absolutely. She’s such a fundamental part of what Peaky is; her presence rules."

One person who definitely looks set to be coming back in the film is legendary actor Stephen Graham, who joined the cast for the final series in the role of Hayden Stagg.

Stephen Graham could be back for the big screen adaptation (BBC/Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd./Robert Viglasky)

Appearing halfway through the series, Stagg got a visit from Arthur and Isiah after they realised he was stealing Tommy's opium from one of the dock warehouses in Liverpool.

Opening up on finally being able to cast Stephen, Knight said: "I've wanted him in it for a long time and this series, we managed to get the schedules aligned. II was writing a character, set in the Liverpool Dock's and I knew, it could only be him."

The writer said it had been "brilliant" to work with Stephen and that he was very keen to keep him as part of the Peaky Blinders' universe "going forward".

The show boss is also desperate to get someone in the film who has worked with Stephen on a number of occasions.

He has spoken about the possibility of getting Vicky McClure into the movie - although the Line of Duty star revealed in 2019 that she had auditioned for every series yet never won a part.

"I really want her in it! I don’t know how we haven’t managed to do that," said Knight. "I mean, she's brilliant and it's not a decision on anybody's part to say no because she's brilliant."

Vicky McClure's name has been thrown in the ring (Dave Benett/Getty Images)

While not a Brummie herself, Vicky is from nearby midlands city Nottingham and we know she can do a wide range of accents.

Teasing a potential role for her in the big screen adaptation, Steven added: "We’d love to and we will put her in the film if she’ll do it!"

However, the show boss has been keen to stress that they want new blood as "breaking new talent" is a crucial part of the franchise.

They also don't want fans to get bored with having the same people cropping up in every movie and TV series.

"There are so many people, so many great actors, that we are already, sort of, in conversation with for the film, and for whatever follows," Knight told Digital Spy.

"But I think what we want to do is keep surprising people, and keep breaking new talent. Because it's all out there, and there is a sort of consistency – what we're doing is finding really good actors from a working-class sort of background, and telling that story. That's what we're trying to do."

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