Who Will Die In The Peaky Blinders Movie? Our Predictions

Steven Knight’s Peaky Blinders, starring Cillian Murphy, will continue its award-winning narrative in an upcoming film, leading many predictions of which beloved characters will die in the movie? The Peaky Blinders film could be ready to start filming by the end of 2023 after creator Steven Knight provided an encouraging update on the progress of the script. The movie is set to take place during the Second World War with the Peaky Blinders themselves getting intricately involved in the war effort.

Set during such a violent and destructive period of history, the Peaky Blinders movie is bound to throw the Peakys into another load of danger. It seems inevitable that some of the Shelby clan’s members will die a heartbreaking death in classic Peaky Blinders fashion. Some of the show’s remaining antagonists could be getting their comeuppance in the highly anticipated feature film. Peaky Blinders has never been afraid of killing off important characters and there is no reason to believe the movie will be any different.

Arthur Shelby

Arthur Shelby has toyed with death for the entire series, including Shelby’s near brush with death in Peaky Blinders season 4. Arthur has struggled with substance abuse and depression for the entire series and has a certain proclivity for violence that often rears its ugly head, making him a likely candidate for death. It’s possible that Arthur ends up a soldier again considering the movie will take place during World War II, however, it seems unlikely considering his age. It is more likely Arthur will die either in a violent conflict at home, probably doing a job for the Shelby gang, or from his issues with drugs and alcohol.

Arthur Shelby is a complex character in Peaky Blinders. Deep down he has a good heart, and he is incredibly loyal to his family, even to the point that it is a problem for Peaky Blinders‘ Arthur Shelby. However, he has also done a lot of terrible things in his time as a Peaky Blinder. As lovable as Arthur can be, he has earned his death many times over. As one of Peaky Blinders deepest and most impactful characters, it would feel right if Arthur had a big send-off in the upcoming film that wrapped up his character arc and gave fans a chance to say goodbye.

While Arthur Shelby seems a likely candidate to die in the upcoming Peaky Blinders movie, it is also possible that Arthur has more to provide to the franchise in future spinoffs. It may be that creator Steven Knight is reluctant to lose one of the series’ best actors and characters. However, from a narrative standpoint it feels like Arthur’s arc is nearly at an end. There is only so much room for his character to continue to develop. The upcoming Peaky Blinders movie feels like the perfect place to finally wrap up Arthur’s storyline in a satisfactory way that is worthy of his character.

Jack Nelson

Jack Nelson, the Boston crime boss from season 6, is another likely candidate for death in the Peaky Blinders movie. Nelson and British fascist Oswald Mosley seem primed to play an essential role in the upcoming movie after their business with Tommy in season 6. Nelson is a Nazi sympathizer, and it is likely he and Mosley will be trying to stoke fascist movements in Britain and/or America. Tommy is set for a showdown with these two characters in the movie, something that is unlikely to end well for anyone involved. It is fairly likely that Tommy ends up killing Nelson in one way or another.

Nelson’s gang is particularly brutal in Peaky Blinders, and as the leader and an especially ruthless individual himself, Nelson has certainly earned his death. Nelson and his Boston gang have performed countless bad deeds and display none of the redeeming qualities that the Shelbys do. Moreover, major antagonists to the Shelbys never seem to have happy endings. The Peaky Blinders have found a way to kill every major enemy from Luca Changretta to Billy Kimber, and it seems likely they will add Jack Nelson to that list in the upcoming film.

One issue that could make killing Nelson difficult however, is that Jack Nelson was a real person and lived beyond the World War II era in real life. It is possible that the movie will want to avoid making major changes to real history. If that is the case, it is possible that Nelson is defeated in some fashion without being killed, or that he actually comes out on top and Peaky Blinders‘ Shelby family is finally ended. While Nelson’s death seems extremely possible in the upcoming movie, it is far from guaranteed.

Duke Shelby

Duke, the estranged son of Tommy Shelby, is another character who could potentially meet his end in the upcoming movie. Duke will be around fighting age and could end up a soldier in the Second World War, much like his father was in the First World War. If that is the case, it’s possible that Duke joins the next generation of Small Heath Rifles, but this time they are unable to escape death. This could serve as a reminder to Tommy that as he sees it, he is already living on borrowed time. The death of Duke could be an important moment for Tommy that inspires him to sacrifice himself in some way.

Tommy’s new son in Peaky Blinders is still young and does not deserve to die like some other characters do. However, Duke would not be the first character to die in Peaky Blinders without deserving it. His death could serve as a reminder of the cost of war should he be a soldier, or as a reminder of the blood price the Shelbys have paid in their quest for power. Duke is likely to become more involved in dark side of the Shelby business the longer he sticks around, meaning the level of danger he faces could be amplified significantly in the time between season 6 and the movie.

Duke may be one of the characters to die in the Peaky Blinders movie, however, he could also be spared for future spinoffs. Duke represents one of the best storylines for a future spinoff. He could be the one to continue the gang life after Tommy Shelby’s ending, or he could end up being a version of Tommy that never got sucked into the life of violence that consumes the Shelbys. Duke could also be used as an interesting foil to Tommy’s other son, Charlie. The differences between the upbringings of Tommy’s two sons could provide some fascinating avenues for exploration in a spinoff

Tommy Shelby

Tommy Shelby is likely to meet his final demise in the movie. It seemed certain Tommy would die in season 6 until he uncovered the hoax about his supposedly fatal illness. As loved as Tommy is by fans, it feels like he was always meant to die for his crimes. Tommy Shelby’s redemption arc in Peaky Blinders is likely to continue, however, Tommy is probably beyond total redemption by now. His arc seems bound to end with his death though, redeemed or not. He will probably either die opposing the Fascist movement, doing some final good with his life, or on his own terms, accepting that he has earned his death many times over.

Tommy is an enormously complex character. He has done many good things with his life, protecting his family and looking after his community, however, he has simply done too many horrible things in the process. There is an enormous amount of blood on Tommy’s hands that can never be washed away. He may have done a lot of bad things for good reasons, but the sheer volume of violent crime he is responsible for moves him beyond redemption. There can be no question that Tommy has earned his death.

Tommy Shelby’s end will almost certainly occur in the movie in one way or another. There is a chance that Tommy does not die on screen, but the end of his life is implied through his final scene. It is still possible that Tommy actually makes it through the whole movie alive, but his arc will surely be coming to an end. Tommy’s conclusion is the most imminent of any Peaky Blinders character, and the most likely to end with death. The upcoming Peaky Blinders movie could spare some, or all, of the characters in this article, but Tommy is the most likely to die.