Cillian Murphy shuts down Peaky Blinders comeback with stern six-word statement

21 February 2024 , 21:52

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The family have an unusual connection to Peaky Blinders (Image: BBC/Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd 2019/Robert Viglasky)

Cillian Murphy has swiftly dashed every single Peaky Blinders' fans dreams of a comeback with a six-word statement.

The Oscar-nominated Irish actor, 47, who scooped the coveted award for Best Lead Actor at the 2024 BAFTA Film Awards on Sunday night, has been caught up in swirling rumours that another series of the iconic British period crime drama, created by Steven Knight, could be set to make a comeback.

The Cork-born actor portrayed the unforgettable character of Thomas Shelby in the BBC and Netflix drama, which garnered millions of fans from all over the globe, since 2013. However, Peaky Blinders fans were left distraught when the final series aired in April 2022. Ever since, avid fans of the Birmingham-based show have been dreaming of another series.

However, when asked if he would ever consider reprising his iconic role as Tommy Shelby in the near future for the BBC series - despite a movie being confirmed - Cillian swiftly shut down any talk of a reunion with his Peaky Blinders cast anytime soon.

Speaking to The Mirror and other press during the BAFTA Awards winners conference, Cillian sternly insisted that his main priority after winning the BAFTA for his lead role in Oppenheimer is his latest project - which has nothing to do with Peaky Blinders.

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"No. I'm concentrating on my new project," Cillian confirmed.

Cillian won the BAFTA for Best Lead Actor for his role in Oppenheimer (Getty Images for BAFTA)

Actor Cillian Murphy is not a fan of the spotlight despite his huge success (Variety via Getty Images)

And while many fans of the Irish actor may feel disheartened to hear his statement, others are profoundly excited about Cillian's next project which is set to be one of his most poignant pieces of work yet.

The Wind That Shakes The Barley actor has gushed over his next role in the 2024 historical drama titled, Small Things like These. The dark film, which sheds light on the Magdalene laundry scandal in Ireland up until the late 1990's is directed by Tim Mielants and adapted by Enda Walsh from the 2021 novel of the same name by Claire Keegan.

The Magdalene Laundries, also known as Magdalene asylums, were institutions usually run by Roman Catholic orders, which operated from the 18th to the late 20th centuries. They were run ostensibly to house 'fallen women', an estimated 30,000 of whom were confined in these institutions in Ireland.

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Set in Ireland in 1985, Cillian's new movie sheds light on the horrific scandal. Cillian plays Bill Furlong, a hard-working father of six who is busy keeping his business afloat in the sleepy town of New Ross, County Wexford. His life soon turns upside down when he's faced head-on with the realities and cruelty of the Catholic Church's power over young unmarried women in his town.

Opening up about his new project, Cillian admitted that 'it was a lot to take on' for him. "I think it's a collective trauma that we are all processing. Certainly for my generation and older generations - it's still something that I think we are figuring out. I've always thought that you know, books and art and film can sort of be a band to that wound.

"I think that the movie's universality lies in its specificity, and when we were cutting the film and showing the film, we played it in New York, LA, and Berlin, and people all responded in the same way. There's a very raw emotion to the film that people respond to, and I think the fact that it's located in Irish society is no barrier to it."

Susan Knox