Barry Keoghan has reportedly joined the cast of Netflix’s highly anticipated Peaky Blinders film, which is expected to be released next year.
The spin-off follows the wildly popular BBC series, which ran for six seasons from 2013 to 2022. Set in the aftermath of World War I, it starred Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy as the Birmingham-based gangster Thomas Shelby.
Deadline was the first to report Keoghan’s casting on Thursday (August 29), noting that details of his role were being kept under wraps.
Keoghan, received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination and won the BAFTA in that category for Martin McDonagh’s 2022 hit The Banshees of Inisherin. Last year, he earned BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations for his leading role in Emerald Fennell’s discourse-generating Saltburn.
Last month, it was reported that Dune star Rebecca Ferguson had joined the cast alongside Murphy, who is reprising his role as Shelby.
The currently untitled movie has been written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight and will be helmed by Tom Harper, who directed several episodes of the show’s debut season.
“It seems like Tommy Shelby wasn’t finished with me,” Murphy told Deadline. “It is very gratifying to be recollaborating with Steven Knight and Tom Harper on the film version of Peaky Blinders. This is one for the fans.”
The 48-year-old Irishman’s return had originally been confirmed by Knight in March. “Murphy is definitely returning for [the movie],” he said at the premiere of his BBC drama, The Town. “We’re shooting it in September just down the road in Digbeth.”
Knight previously told Deadline that a movie story would be set during World War II. Production is expected to begin later this year.
The original BBC series also starred Tom Hardy, Paul Anderson and Helen McCrory.
Hardy played Alfie Solomons, the leader of a gang based in Camden Town.
Speaking to Sky News in June, Hardy teased the return of his character in the forthcoming movie.
“One hundred per cent, Alfie will definitely make an appearance, but I don’t know when,” he said. “And I don’t even know if he will, that’s just me punting.”
Knight had previously suggested the movie would arrive sometime in 2024, but with filming beginning in September, Knight has now hinted at a 2025 release date.
