Cillian Murphy Returns in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man

Fans of the acclaimed series Peaky Blinders can rejoice as the beloved gangster saga returns with a feature film, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, released on March 20, 2026, on Netflix. Directed by Tom Harper and written by series creator Steven Knight, the film serves as an epilogue to the show, which captivated audiences from 2013 to 2022.

Set in 1940 during the harrowing Birmingham Blitz, the film plunges viewers into a world where the remnants of the Shelby family must confront both personal demons and the looming threat of Nazi influence. Cillian Murphy reprises his iconic role as Tommy Shelby, the haunted leader of the Peaky Blinders, who finds himself dragged back into the fray despite his desire for peace.

Tommy's journey begins in a crumbling country manor, where he is surrounded by the ghosts of his past. The film opens with Tommy penning a memoir, grappling with a lifetime of trauma and loss. “Who the [expletive] is Tommy Shelby?” a soldier snickers when Tommy re-emerges, a line that encapsulates the film's exploration of identity and legacy.

Tommy's estranged son, Duke Shelby, played by Barry Keoghan, is now running the Peaky Blinders with a reckless abandon that threatens to engulf the family in chaos. Duke’s descent into the criminal underworld is exacerbated by his involvement in a Nazi scheme to flood the British economy with counterfeit banknotes, a plot rooted in the real-life Operation Bernhard. As the film unfolds, viewers witness the strained father-son relationship, highlighting Duke’s resentment towards the father who abandoned him.

“Tommy is both man and myth, hero and monster,” one critic noted, emphasizing the duality of his character as he navigates the treacherous waters of family loyalty and moral ambiguity. This complexity is a hallmark of the Peaky Blinders narrative, where the line between right and wrong often blurs.

Tommy’s sister, Ada, portrayed by Sophie Rundle, makes a pivotal appearance, bringing news of devastation in Birmingham and urging Tommy to reclaim his role in the family. Their interactions serve as a catalyst for Tommy’s reluctant return to his old life, forcing him to confront not only external threats but also his own failures.

Visually, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man excels, with stunning cinematography that captures the bleak beauty of wartime Birmingham. The film’s production design is a testament to its roots, blending historical accuracy with a brooding atmosphere that fans have come to expect. Director of photography George Steel employs masterful composition and contrast, immersing the audience in the gritty reality of the era.

However, some critics have pointed out that while the film is visually captivating, it occasionally feels rushed and underdeveloped. The narrative, while engaging, sometimes lacks the depth that characterized earlier seasons of the series. “It’s a bridge, a glorified episode,” one reviewer remarked, noting that the film struggles to fully unpack the complex themes of legacy and memory in the limited runtime.

Despite these criticisms, the film does not shy away from moments of dark humor and absurdity, a staple of the Peaky Blinders charm. One standout scene features Tommy causing a grenade explosion to assert his identity, followed by a chaotic mud fight between him and Duke that serves as a metaphorical reconciliation of their fraught relationship.

As Tommy navigates the treacherous landscape of familial duty and wartime peril, he encounters a cast of new characters, including Rebecca Ferguson as a mystic Romani woman and Tim Roth as a scheming Nazi mole. Their roles add layers of intrigue and tension to the story, further complicating Tommy’s quest for redemption.

Ultimately, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is a one-last-job movie, where the weight of family ties pulls Tommy back into a world he thought he had left behind. The film’s exploration of familial bonds amid chaos resonates deeply, reminding audiences of the stakes involved in the criminal underworld.

With a runtime of 1 hour and 52 minutes and an R rating for bloody images, language, drug use, and violence, the film does not shy away from its darker themes. Critics have noted that while it may not reach the heights of the series at its peak, it successfully offers a satisfying conclusion to a saga that has captivated audiences for over a decade.

In the end, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man serves as a poignant reminder of why the series became a cultural phenomenon. Cillian Murphy’s portrayal of Tommy Shelby remains a standout, capturing the character’s exhaustion and complexity with remarkable nuance. As the film closes, it leaves viewers wondering about the future of the Shelby family and whether the cycle of violence and regret will continue.

As fans await the rumored sequel series that may propel the Shelby family into the 1950s, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man stands as a compelling testament to the enduring legacy of one of television’s most iconic characters.