Cillian Murphy gives update on Peaky Blinders movie

Cillian Murphy has shared an update on the rumoured Peaky Blinders movie.

The 46-year-old played the menacing protagonist Tommy Shelby for the best part of a decade, alongside fellow stars Helen McCrory, Paul Anderson, Sophie Rundle and Joe Cole.

The Irish actor has been fairly tight-lipped since the hit BBC series came to an end last year, with fans keen for the story to continue in some form or another.

It had been hoped by many that the show's creator, Steven Knight, would get the gang back together again at some point for a cinematic spinoff.

Although there has been no official confirmation that a movie is in the works, Murphy has now had his say on the topic, and expressed a keen interest in being involved.

BBC

"If there's more story there, I'd love to do it," he told Rolling Stone.

"But it has to be right. Steve Knight wrote 36 hours of television, and we left on such a high. I'm really proud of that last series.

"So, it would have to feel legitimate and justified to do more."

Now, while Murphy has gone on to become one of the biggest names in Hollywood, starring in The Dark Knight trilogy, and Christopher Nolan's upcoming flick Oppenheimer, most fans think of him as the Brummie gangster.

But it turns out he couldn't be further from his iconic character – much to the disappointment of some of his fans, the actor says.

In his interview with the outlet, he spoke about the pressures of fame, which he compared to commuting in terms of how it relates to his job as an actor.

"You have to commute to get to your destination,” he explained.

BBC

Adding: “I think that’s the way the best people are: they’re not doing it for any other reason but love of the craft. They have a compulsion to make work, not to be famous or get attention.”

Murphy continued: “I don’t really partake. I don’t go out. I’m just at home mostly, or with my friends, unless I have a film to promote.

“I don’t like being photographed by people. I find that offensive. If I was a woman, and it was a man photographing me…”

When asked how he felt about becoming something of a sex symbol, he dismissed the idea with a firm ‘no comment’, before going on to say he feels people are often ‘underwhelmed’.

"I think it’s the Tommy Shelby thing,” Murphy said.

“People expect this mysterious, swaggering… it’s just a character. I do feel people are a little bit underwhelmed. That’s fine, it means I’m doing my job.

“Peaky fans are amazing. But sometimes I feel a little sad that I can’t provide — like — that charisma and swagger. He couldn’t be further from me.”

Topics: Peaky Blinders, Cillian Murphy, UK News, TV and Film

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers is LADbible's Editorial Lead. After graduating from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History, he went on to write for the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express. So as you can imagine, he’s spent many a night wondering just how useful that second language has been. But c'est la vie.

@SmithersDom