‘Peaky Blinders’ - the new Birmingham crime drama set in the 1920s – has been renewed for a second series by the BBC following the critical and commercial success of the first.
The series stars Irish actors Cillian Murphy, Ned Dennehy and Tom Vaughan-Lawlor.
The second series will see the Shelby family, headed by Cillian Murphy's gang leader Thomas, attempt to expand their criminal empire beyond the Midlands.
Cillian Murphy (‘The Wind that Shakes the Barley’), stars as Tommy Shelby, the leader of the (real-life) gang of the title, an organization that got its name from the members' habit of sewing razor blades into the peaks of their caps as handy weapons.
Murphy is currently filming Ron Howard’s new film ‘Heart of the Sea’, along with Brendan Gleeson, Chris Hemsworth, Ben Whishaw and his ‘Peaky Blinders co-star Paul Anderson.
Ned Dennehy (‘Sherlock Holmes’, ‘Veronica Guerin’) plays the role of Charlie Strong. Dehenny will star in ‘300: Rise of an Empire’ which is due out next year.
Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, best known as Nidge from ‘Love/Hate’ played an IRA man in an episode of the series. He is currently filming ‘Citizen Charlie’, RTÉ’s TV trilogy charting the rise and fall of former Taoiseach Charles Haughey.
The cast includes Sam Neill (‘Jurassic Park’), Paul Anderson (‘Heart of the Sea) and Helen McCrory (‘Skyfall’).
The six-part series was created and written by BAFTA-winning screenwriter Steven Knight (‘Eastern Promises’, ‘Dirty Pretty Things’). It was directed by Otto Bathurst and Tom Harper.
The programme is produced by Tiger Aspect Productions, who just wrapped filming on ‘Ripper Street’ season two in Dublin, and UK-based Caryn Mandabach Productions.
The six-part series, again written by Mr Knight, will start filming early next year.
The trailer for ‘Peaky Blinders’ can be viewed below:
