"He's written 36 hours of television": When Cillian Murphy revealed this key detail about Peaky Blinders (and I think it sets the show apart)

Fans can't hold their excitement after The Sun reported that Steven Knight might be working on the seventh season of Peaky Blinders. The BBC crime drama series, which debuted in 2013 was concluded with six seasons in 2022.

It was later revealed that Cillian Murphy's Tommy Shelby would return for one last adventure in The Immortal Man, a feature film set to be released in the latter half of 2025.

While the possibility of season 7 is exciting, I recently found out that Knight wrote all of Peaky Blinders' six seasons' scripts at once. The show is already hailed for Knight's brilliant storytelling, and the fact that he envisioned the show and Tommy's future for six seasons ahead only adds to its charm.

Talking about Knight's brilliance, Cillian Murphy once revealed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly:

''He's written 36 hours of television, it's phenomenal.''

More on Knight's vision for Peaky Blinders in our story

Steven Knight wrote all the Peaky Blinders scripts at once

This key detail about Peaky Blinders, as revealed by Murphy, is very rare for a television show. Talking about Knight's process of writing, Murphy revealed to Entertainment Weekly:

''The thing that we have, which I think is rare on a TV show, is that we have six completed scripts before we start. We always know where we're headed.''

He added:

''The scripts are exquisite always, so I never have any input in the script, I have input in post-production and music and stuff like that but Steve is such a brilliant, dynamic writer that they're so unpredictable in a great way. You never know what's going to happen. That's what's so brilliant about his writing, it's never predictable.''

As revealed by Murphy, Knight has written every episode of the show for every season, a task that is no easy feat. The BBC show has consistently maintained its high quality of storytelling, even in later seasons, which proves Knight's genius.

Knight always envisioned Tommy Shelby as a tragic hero in Peaky Blinders

Murphy's revelation only proves how Knight's vision for Peaky Blinders and Tommy Shelby was iron-clad from the moment he started working on the show. Tommy's trajectory became increasingly apparent through each season, and considering Knight wrote all the scripts at once, they now make sense as a cohesive whole.

Tommy started as a celebrated veteran in Peaky Blinders Season 1, suffering from war PTSD. As the leader of the titular gang, he saw an opportunity in the gun shipment in season 1, and the rest is history.

While Grace's introduction brought a monumental change in Tommy's story, Knight never envisioned Tommy to be happy, as he once revealed in a Reddit AMA:

"The point with Grace is that if she had lived, Tommy would have been happy. He wasn't meant to be happy."

Tommy had a real shot at happiness and love in Season 3, but he couldn't attain it because of Grace's death, and he was once again pulled back into the world of crime.

While the Birmingham leader never really got his redemption arc at the end of Season 6, Knight teased that the tragic hero might finally attain rest in The Immortal Man with Esquire:

“Tommy Shelby – who begins as this nihilistic, looking-out only for his family person – will be redeemed.”

Considering the rumors floating about season 7, Tommy Shelby might start the new season with his redemption, marking a new era in his life.

Trending

For the latest scoops on your favorite TV shows and movies, follow Soap Central.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback