Peaky Blinders film is 'being written', series director says

A series director for the hit BBC show Peaky Blinders has said a film adaptation is being written by Steve Knight.

Otto Bathurst, who helmed the first three episodes of the series starring Cillian Murphy, provided something of an update after years of rumours about a movie version.

“I think it’s actually being written,” Bathurst, who won a Bafta for his work on the Birmingham-set gangster drama, told Yahoo Movies UK. “I think Steve, Steve Knight the writer, I think they’re planning something, yeah.”

Last year Knight said they were “probably going to do it”, although nothing official has been announced.

Murphy was asked about the prospect of doing a film back in 2016 and appeared ambivalent about the idea, commenting: “I’m sort of like, ‘Eh, yeah, I don’t know, I’m not sure’.”

“I love the idea theoretically,” he said, “but it has to come at the right time, you know? You can’t alienate the beautiful democratic thing of television where everyone just watches it.”

He added: “It’s kind of a sexy idea, but I’ll reserve judgement until the idea is presented to me.”

Last year he seemed to have warmed to the notion, telling Deadline: “If the writing is as good as it is for the show, then for sure.”

Peaky Blinders series five is currently being filmed and will return to screens in 2019. Murphy will return as Tommy Shelby, along with Paul Anderson (Arthur Shelby), Michael Gray (Finn Cole), Sophie Rundle (Ada Thorne) and Helen McCrory as Polly Gray. Sam Claflin, Anya Taylor-Joy and Brian Gleeson were all recently announced as new cast members.