Peaky Blinders is a production of the BBC, yet it's also somehow a Netflix Original. Created and written by Steven Knight, Peaky Blinders chronicles the trials and tribulations of the fictional Shelby family. The series title was inspired by a real gang that operated in Birmingham, England, after World War I. After 6 bombastic seasons, Peaky Blinders' TV show run has officially ended — but not without an upcoming feature film set to begin production in 2023.
Irish actor Cillian Murphy stars in the lead role as Thomas Shelby, a decorated war veteran, crime boss, and politician. Peaky Blinders season 1 originally aired on BBC Two, with the last two seasons, Peaky Blinders seasons 5 and 6, having switched over to BBC One. The final season releases to Netflix subscribers on June 10th. And it's there where the grey area lies regarding Peaky Blinders being an original series for both BBC and Netflix.
Production for Peaky Blinders hasn't been without its ups and downs. The show was pushed way back in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Helen McCrory's passing also affected the series in a significant way, though she was paid a warm tribute, with season 6, episode 1 being dedicated to her memory. In addition, various licensing deals have delayed Peaky Blinders season 6's Netflix release. The series finale ended on a cliffhanger, leaving a few loose ends in its wake. Presumably, these will be dealt with when the Peaky Blinders movie releases. Here's why Peaky Blinders is still a Netflix original, despite being shown on the BBC first.
Why BBC's Peaky Blinders Is Still A Netflix Original
Peaky Blinders is still a Netflix Original because of Harvey Weinstein. One week before Peaky Blinders season 2 premiered on BBC Two in 2014, Netflix acquired US distribution rights from The Weinstein Company, which had previously held U.S. TV and VODd rights. Since then, Peaky Blinders has technically been a Netflix Original, since it airs exclusively on Netflix in the United States. For the same reason, that's why shows like Titans and Star Trek Discovery are considered Netflix Originals internationally despite them airing DC Universe and CBS All Access, respectively, in the US.
In October 2017, both The New York Times and The New Yorker published investigative reports about sexual abuse allegations against Harvey Weinstein. The same month, Peaky Blinders permanently removed The Weinstein Company’s logo from the credits sequence, as the company was still technically listed as a U.S. distributor. Netflix won a court case in July 2018 that terminated the streaming service’s professional relationship with The Weinstein Company, which had an ongoing distribution dispute with Endemol Shine Group, one of Peaky Blinders' original U.S. distributors. Based on the 2014 acquisition deal, Netflix continues to have U.S. distribution rights for Peaky Blinders, and the series remains on the streaming service.
Will The Peaky Blinders Movie Release On Netflix?
Given comments made by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, it seems that people will have to see the Peaky Blinders movie on the big screen before its released on Netflix. In an interview with BBC News, Knight talked about the setting in which he wants the film to be seen, saying, "Hopefully, a sort of communal event, where people could sit down, and watch it, and enjoy it on the big screen." This definitely points to a theatrical release before hitting streaming services, though, people might not have to wait long before streaming the movie. Downton Abbey movies, which are also streamed on Netflix, release in theaters and then move to streaming services sometime later. Since Peaky Blinders is a Netflix Original, it's doubtful that the movie will be shown on another platform, like HBO Max, after hitting theaters. Production for the film will begin in 2023, meaning that it won't come out until late 2024 or 2025.
Peaky Blinders has been wildly popular over the years, and the series continues to gain new fans through its distribution home on Netflix. Despite a solid supporting cast, Peaky Blinders is grounded by Murphy's central performance, one that earned him a 2018 Irish Film & Television Award for Best Actor in a Lead Role in Drama. It's hard to imagine Peaky Blinders without Murphy's charismatic antihero, and people will get to see Tommy Shelby's ultimate fate in the upcoming Peaky Blinders movie.