peaky blinders the immortal man used a disused railway tunnel in Northamptonshire as a key filming site, production figures say, bringing Tommy Shelby back to Birmingham in a World War II-set film that will play in selected cinemas before streaming on Netflix from 20 March (ET). Director Tom Harper framed the tunnel as a rare find that allowed enclosed shooting with limited public access. Cast and crew reactions are already centering on both spectacle and the emotional fallout for returning characters.
Peaky Blinders The Immortal Man — Filming at Kelmarsh Tunnel
Tom Harper, director (Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man), described Kelmarsh Tunnel on the former Northampton to Market Harborough line as “one of those treasures that you sometimes find when you’re filming, ” noting the brick structure’s beauty and its usefulness as an “enclosed” location that kept public crowds low. Filming for the new instalment was spread across Birmingham and parts of Northamptonshire, with the tunnel identified as forming “a very important part” of the production by Harper.
Stephen Knight, creator (Peaky Blinders), said the production had in earlier years largely shot in Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool but that “this time I thought it was really important to come home. ” Harper added that a larger film budget allowed the team to “go to all these incredible places and find all these little known gems, ” and that the remote, tricky-to-access tunnel meant fans did not congregate during shoots.
Cast, stakes and on-screen threats
The film sees Cillian Murphy reprising his role as Tommy Shelby, depicted returning to Birmingham during World War II. Plot elements folded into the wartime setting include a bombing of a Birmingham arms factory and a resistance storyline built around a scheme to flood Britain with forged banknotes. Tim Roth plays an antagonistic treasurer of the British Union of Fascists associated with the counterfeit operation, and Barry Keoghan joins the cast as Duke Shelby, an estranged son of Tommy who takes a central, volatile role.
Paul Anderson, actor (portrayed Arthur Shelby in the series), reacted to the film as well, calling it “amazing” while admitting he was “slightly apprehensive” about translating the show into a movie. Anderson confirmed that Arthur is not physically present in the film and that his character survives only in Tommy’s conscience; he said the creator had prepared him for the “sad” outcome and called the storyline for Arthur’s end “great, ” even if it is “sad. ” Production values named in coverage include cinematography by George Steel, director of photography (Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man), and production design by Jacqueline Abrahams, production designer (Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man), with the film shot on film stock to give a tactile, grimy period look.
What’s next for audiences and the story
Audiences will first see the film in selected cinemas and then on Netflix from 20 March (ET). The makers have positioned the picture as a big-event story meant to bring people together to watch in theatres before it streams, with Harper saying, “We wanted to create a big story that felt like an event that people could come together to watch as an audience. ” Critical and fan reaction will likely pivot on how the film balances fan-service elements with a standalone wartime plot and how the emotional consequences for Tommy—and the legacy of Arthur—play out on screen.
Expect further public screenings, cast interviews, and audience reaction pieces in the days after the launch as the film reaches cinemas and then Netflix on 20 March (ET), keeping peaky blinders the immortal man at the centre of conversation about the show’s cinematic continuation.
