One prominent Peaky Blinders star has confirmed that they will not return in the upcoming sequel movie. The hit BBC period crime drama, created by Steven Knight, follows the exploits of the Birmingham-based gang, the Peaky Blinders, and their defacto leader Tommy Shelby’s ascent to power. The series boasted an ensemble cast led by Cillian Murphy and featured appearances from prominent actors, including Tom Hardy, Adrien Brody, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Stephen Graham. The show concluded after six seasons and 36 episodes but is set to continue with the upcoming Peaky Blinders movie The Immortal Man.
In an interview with RadioTimes.com, Kate Phillips, who portrayed Arthur Shelby’s wife, Linda Shelby, revealed she will not be returning for the upcoming movie. She discussed that there were discussions about her returning, but things did not pan out. She elaborated that she loved the character and the iconic show and stated that it is simply part of being an actor that some projects happen, and others don’t. Check out Phillips’ comments below:

“I’m not. There were discussions and then it didn’t pan out. It was such an amazing show to be part of and Steven Knight still continues to have ideas for the life and the future of Peaky Blinders, and that’s always lovely to kind of engage with his hopes and dreams for the show.

But the life of an actor is, you’re sort of always at the behest of other people’s visions, and sometimes it’s very much a wait and see kind of game. But I’m excited to see the film. I have read it, but I’m excited to see how it turns out on the big screen, I’m sure it will be amazing.”

The Film Could Well Be A Less Expansive Experience With Fewer Characters

Phillips’ comments could imply that the movie could not successfully integrate her character, rather than any salary dispute. This suggests that the movie will take a different approach, which is likely necessary due to run time. Peaky Blinders had an ensemble cast and was able to explore, develop, and flesh out many of these characters over its run. In contrast, a movie’s limited runtime restricts the chance of multiple character arcs, and this could have influenced the decision not to have Linda return. Here are some of the Peaky Blinders cast members confirmed to return for The Immortal Man.

Actor

Character

Cillian Murphy

Tommy Shelby

Sophie Rundle

Ada Thorne

Packy Lee

Johnny Dogs

Stephen Graham

Hayden Stagg

Ian Peck

Curly

Despite Phillips giving one of the best performances in Peaky Blinders, the fact that Linda and Arthur split acrimoniously on the show, which saw the failure of her quest to save his soul and culminated in her trying to kill him, means it would feel more difficult to include her organically, particularly if Arthur makes an appearance. However, there are indicators that The Immortal Man might not be the end of Peaky Blinders entirely, so there is a chance that Phillips could return to the franchise in later projects, assuming the character is not killed off.
Our Thoughts On Phillips’ Peaky Blinders Future

Linda Could Appear In The Future, But Chances Are Slim

While Linda is definitively ruled out of the movie, she could appear in planned Peaky Blinders spinoff shows. However, the chances will depend on whether there is a place to fit her character within the story, if Knight decides to bring her back, and if Phillips desires to return. The Immortal Man is likely to focus on Tommy Shelby’s whereabouts since the end of season 6 and possibly see him become embroiled in crime again, but it’s unlikely the movie will be the end for Peaky Blinders.
Source: RadioTimes.com