Peaky Blinders is a six-season BBC crime drama that ran from 2013 to 2022 and became a Netflix title in many regions. It stars Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby, the Shelby family leader, and follows the family’s rise in post–World War I Birmingham. A planned follow-up film, The Immortal Man, is set to continue the story.
The series is historical fiction rather than a strict retelling of real events. It borrows the name of a real Birmingham gang, but the Shelby family at the center of the drama is invented, surrounded by real political figures and social conditions from the era.
All six seasons, totaling 36 episodes, stream on Netflix in many markets. The franchise’s next chapter is the feature film Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, scheduled for a 2026 release.
How Many Seasons of Peaky Blinders Are There?
The show follows the Shelby crime family in post–World War I Birmingham, with Tommy Shelby as the central figure. It ran for six seasons on the BBC before Netflix brought it to many international markets.
Key insights
- The series ends with Season 6; the story continues in a feature-length film called The Immortal Man.
- Steven Knight created the show and has described the film as a culmination of the story.
- While based on a real gang, the Shelby family and most plotlines are fictional.
- Cillian Murphy stars as Tommy Shelby across all six seasons.
- Netflix distributes the series in many regions; Rotten Tomatoes lists Netflix Seasons 1–6.
- The timeline runs from 1919 to the mid-1930s.
- Paul Anderson, Helen McCrory, and Sophie Rundle are main cast members across the full run.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total seasons | 6 |
| Total episodes | 36 |
| Original network | BBC Two (UK), Netflix (International) |
| Series premiere | 2013 (set in 1919) |
| Series finale | 2022 (Season 6) |
| Creator | Steven Knight |
| Main cast | Cillian Murphy, Paul Anderson, Helen McCrory, Tom Hardy |
| Genre | Crime drama |
| Setting | Birmingham, England |
| Awards | Multiple BAFTA and Emmy wins/nominations |
| Upcoming film | Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man — theatrical and Netflix, March 2026 |
Will There Be a Peaky Blinders Season 7?
No. The series concluded with Season 6, which aired in 2022. The franchise did not move to a seventh season; instead, it announced a feature film in 2023. The film is titled Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man and appears in the franchise’s cast listings as a connected project.
When Is The Immortal Man Coming Out?
The film is scheduled for release in 2026, with listed as the Netflix premiere date. A theatrical release has also been reported. The release date has not been uniformly confirmed across all sources.
What Will The Immortal Man Be About?
Plot details remain unconfirmed by official sources. Steven Knight has said the story will continue on film and be brought to a conclusion. Cillian Murphy is attached to star, but the full cast has not been fully confirmed.
The Immortal Man is the on-screen continuation of Peaky Blinders, but it is a film rather than a new season. Knight has described it as a culmination of the story, and fan discussions sometimes frame it as either a finale or a spin-off.
Who Were the Real Peaky Blinders?
The real Peaky Blinders were a gang associated with Birmingham in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The television series takes their name and their world but does not document them directly. It is best understood as historical fiction.
The show is set in the aftermath of World War I and uses real historical figures such as Winston Churchill and Oswald Mosley. Season 6 also includes Lady Diana Mitford, Mosley’s real-life wife. Despite this grounding, the drama remains fictionalized, with the Shelby family and most of its central events invented.
What Time Period Is Peaky Blinders Set In?
The series begins in 1919, after the end of World War I, and concludes in the mid-1930s. Birmingham is the primary setting throughout.
Are the Shelby Brothers Based on Real People?
No. Tommy Shelby and his siblings are fictional characters. The series presents Tommy as a gangster and family leader, but he is not a documented historical person in the way a real politician or crime boss would be.
The real Peaky Blinders are part of a longer history of British gangs. That history is covered in Reginald Kray – The Life and Crimes of a Notorious Gangster.
Peaky Blinders borrows real names, politics, and social conditions while inventing its central family and much of the plot. It is historical fiction, not a factual account of the real gang.
Who Is in the Peaky Blinders Cast?
Cillian Murphy leads the cast as Tommy Shelby. He is joined across the run by Paul Anderson as Arthur Shelby, Sophie Rundle as Ada Shelby, and Helen McCrory as Polly Gray. Cast listings are documented by TV Guide and IMDb, with the BBC offering an official cast page.
Who Are the Shelby Brothers?
The Shelby brothers are Tommy (Cillian Murphy), Arthur (Paul Anderson), and John (Joe Cole). Their sister Ada (Sophie Rundle) is also central to the family story. Tommy is the head of the Shelby crime family and the series’ main character.
How Did the Cast Change Across Seasons?
The ensemble shifts over time. Joe Cole’s John Shelby is mainly part of Seasons 1–4. Tom Hardy first appears as Alfie Solomons in Season 2. Finn Cole’s Michael Gray arrives in Season 2, and Anya Taylor-Joy joins as Gina Gray in Season 5. Cast databases such as Kinorium track these changes in detail.
| Character | Actor | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas Shelby | Cillian Murphy | 1–6 |
| Arthur Shelby | Paul Anderson | 1–6 |
| Ada Shelby | Sophie Rundle | 1–6 |
| Polly Gray | Helen McCrory | 1–6 |
| John Shelby | Joe Cole | Mainly 1–4 |
| Alfie Solomons | Tom Hardy | 2–6 |
| Michael Gray | Finn Cole | 2–6 |
| Lizzie Stark | Natasha O’Keeffe | 1–6 |
| Gina Gray | Anya Taylor-Joy | 5–6 |
| Jessie Eden | Charlie Murphy | Later seasons |
Not every actor stays for the whole run. Joe Cole leaves the main cast after Season 4, while Tom Hardy appears from Season 2 and Anya Taylor-Joy joins for Seasons 5 and 6.
What Happens After Peaky Blinders Season 6?
Season 6 aired in 2022 as the final season of the series. Netflix’s Tudum cast guide confirms Cillian Murphy and Paul Anderson as central Season 6 cast members and describes Tommy as the “head of the notorious Shelby crime family.”
The season also brings real historical figures into the foreground, including Lady Diana Mitford, the real-life wife of Oswald Mosley. After the finale, the narrative is set to continue in The Immortal Man, which Knight has described as the conclusion of the story.
When Did Each Peaky Blinders Season Premiere?
Season and episode records for the series are documented at TheTVDB. The broadcast timeline runs from 2013 to 2022, with the film following in 2026.
- 2013 — Season 1 premieres, set in 1919.
- 2014 — Season 2 premieres.
- 2016 — Season 3 premieres.
- 2017 — Season 4 premieres.
- 2019 — Season 5 premieres.
- 2022 — Season 6 premieres and closes the series.
- 2023 — The film The Immortal Man is announced.
- — The Immortal Man is scheduled to stream on Netflix.
What Is Confirmed About The Immortal Man?
Some aspects of the film are established, while others remain unresolved in official communications.
| Established information | Information that remains unclear |
|---|---|
| The series ended with Season 6, which aired in 2022. | The specific plot details of the film remain unconfirmed by official sources. |
| A movie titled Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is in production. | Whether all main cast members, including Paul Anderson, will return has not been fully confirmed. |
| The film is scheduled for a 2026 release, with March 20 listed as the Netflix premiere. | The exact nature of the film — series finale or spin-off — is debated in fan circles, though Knight has called it a “culmination.” |
| Cillian Murphy is attached to star. | — |
Why Did Peaky Blinders End After Season 6?
Steven Knight made the decision to move the story from television to film. The series ended with Season 6 in 2022, and The Immortal Man was announced in 2023 as the project that will bring the story to a conclusion.
The historical backdrop also explains the show’s direction. The real Peaky Blinders gang operated in Birmingham in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and the series reimagines that world in the years after World War I, mixing real politics with invented characters.
What Have the Creator and Cast Said About the Film?
Steven Knight has said the story will continue on film and be brought to a conclusion.
“The story will continue with a film… we will be bringing it to a conclusion.”
Steven Knight, creator of Peaky Blinders
Cillian Murphy has also spoken about the project as a conclusion to the series.
“I think the film will be a fitting end.”
Cillian Murphy, actor
The official trailer for the film is available on YouTube, and Netflix remains the main streaming home for the series.
Where Does Peaky Blinders Stand After Six Seasons?
Peaky Blinders ran for six seasons and 36 episodes between 2013 and 2022, becoming a globally distributed Netflix title. The franchise now moves to film with The Immortal Man, scheduled for 2026, with Cillian Murphy attached to star. For viewers drawn to morally complicated crime families, the series builds its story around Tommy Shelby’s leadership of the family across two decades. Another portrait of a fictional crime-family head can be found in Tony Soprano – The Definitive Guide to TV’s Greatest Antihero.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Peaky Blinders based on a true story?
The show is loosely based on the real Peaky Blinders gang that operated in Birmingham, England, in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The specific characters and plotlines are fictional.
Where can I watch Peaky Blinders?
All six seasons are available for streaming on Netflix in many regions. The series originally aired on the BBC in the UK.
Is Peaky Blinders over?
Yes. The series concluded with Season 6 in 2022. The story continues in the film Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.
How many episodes are in Peaky Blinders season 6?
Each main season typically consists of six episodes. Across six seasons, the series totals 36 episodes.
Who plays Tommy Shelby?
Cillian Murphy plays Tommy Shelby, the head of the Shelby crime family, across all six seasons.
Who created Peaky Blinders?
Steven Knight created Peaky Blinders and has said the film will bring the story to a conclusion.
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Kieran Doherty covers Westminster, councils, public policy and political affairs across the United Kingdom.