First look at Stephen Graham's mind-blowing transformation for new series from creator of Peaky Blinders

A first look at upcoming Disney+ series A Thousand Blows has been released, and Stephen Graham looks to be in amazing shape.

Releasing on the streaming platform next year, the show was written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight and is set in Victorian London.

It stars Graham as Henry 'Sugar' Goodson, a formidable boxer who ends up becoming a rival to Hezekiah Moscow (Malachi Kirby), a Jamaican man who must navigate the dangerous underbelly of London.

Hezekiah also encounters Mary Carr (Erin Doherty), the leader a criminal gang known as the Forty Elephants, an all-woman gang of London thieves who specialised in shoplifting.

By the way, dear reader, the Forty Elephants was a real criminal gang that operated in London for decades.

A first look at Stephen Graham as Victorian boxer Henry 'Sugar' Goodman. (Disney+)

In fact, Hezekiah Moscow, Sugar Goodson and Mary Carr were all real people.

In a first look at A Thousand Blows, Graham looks every inch the rough and tumble Victorian boxer with that recognisable face perched atop a mighty body.

Over one pec he's got a tattoo of a lady and on the other one a bird is inked, while he's wearing those high-waisted trousers one would expect a pugilist of the past to have on.

Graham can certainly do menacing, and he certainly has the scary appearance down to a tee for the Disney+ show, while his inclusion in any show is often a mark of quality which bodes well for the series.

A Thousand Blows will follow Hezekiah Moscow (Malachi Kirby) into the depths of London society. (Disney+)

At seems as though his Sugar Goodson is going to be something of a bad guy in the series.

We'll have to wait until next year to see how it all goes down as A Thousand Blows is currently pencilled in for a 2025 release.

Series creator Knight spoke about the work that had gone into A Thousand Blows, and what level of detail the audience can expect when they tune in.

He said: "The love and care that went into this thrilling production is evident on screen from the first moment.

"What makes the story we tell all the more compelling is that it is based on the lives of real people who lived extraordinary lives in extraordinary times."

Erin Doherty appears in the drama as the leader of an all-women crime syndicate. (Disney+)

The show will also feature Francis Lovehall as Alec Munroe, Jason Tobin as Mr Lao and James Nelson-Joyce as as Edward 'Treacle' Goodson, the brother of Sugar.

Hannah Walters, Darci Shaw, Nadia Albina, Morgan Hilaire, Jemma Carlton and Caoilfhionn Dunne will portray other members of the Forty Elephants gang.

Meanwhile, you'll also be able to see Susan Lynch, Daniel Mays, Adam Nagaitis, Gary Lewis, Tom Davis and Robert Glenister taking other roles in the production.