Cillian Murphy on Nazis in ‘Peaky Blinders’ Movie & Comparisons to ‘Oppenheimer’

Cillian Murphy has expressed dismay at the prospect of his forthcoming “Peaky Blinders” film being interpreted in light of contemporary political alignments, particularly concerning the presence of Nazi figures within the narrative. The film, titled “Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man,” is set against the backdrop of World War II and features a storyline involving British gangsters collaborating with Nazis in an attempt to destabilize the U.K. Economy.

Murphy was responding to a question from The Telegraph regarding the film’s depiction of Nazis at a time when figures like Nick Fuentes openly express support for Nazi ideology. “That’s profoundly upsetting,” Murphy reportedly said, adding that the film “wears that lightly—it’s not ‘The Zone of Interest,’ let’s put it that way.” He emphasized the intention to create an entertaining action film that could too be provocative upon closer examination, rather than a didactic perform.

The actor drew a parallel to his recent Oscar-winning performance in Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” suggesting that both films offer opportunities for reflection on pressing global issues whereas remaining accessible as entertainment. “If you seek to talk about where we are in the world and glance at how close we are to nuclear fucking Armageddon, you can think about ‘Oppenheimer’ in that way, but if you just want to look at a great film with big explosions then that’s cool as well,” Murphy stated.

“Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man” will introduce Barry Keoghan as Duke Shelby, Tommy Shelby’s illegitimate son, who has taken control of the Peaky Blinders gang. Stephen Graham and Ned Dennehy reprise their roles as Hayden Stagg and Charlie Strong, respectively. Rebecca Ferguson and Jay Lycurgo are also new additions to the cast.

The film is a follow-up to the critically acclaimed Netflix series, which ran from 2013 to 2022 and garnered a loyal global following, according to Deadline. The movie is set six years after the series finale, finding Tommy Shelby drawn out of self-imposed exile in 1940 to confront a new threat.

Netflix will release “Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man” in theaters on March 6, followed by a global streaming release on March 20, as reported by Deadline. Cillian Murphy previously described the film as “one for the fans” after a lengthy development process that began around 2019-2020, involving multiple script revisions, according to Deadline.

Murphy reflected on the significance of playing Tommy Shelby for over a decade, describing it as a “gift and privilege” to the BBC, while also acknowledging he is unlike the character. The BBC reported in September 2025 that Murphy had recently won an Oscar for his role in “Oppenheimer.”

According to Netflix, the character of Tommy Shelby is an enigmatic leader of Birmingham’s deadliest street gang. The platform published a character bio on March 3, 2026, detailing Shelby’s background and role within the Peaky Blinders universe.