With a Peaky Blinders film adaptation for Netflix in development, Barry Keoghan, attached to star alongside returning lead actor Cillian Murphy, has revealed his first impressions of the script, further confirming that a story for the film exists, and one Keoghan is ready to get on board with.
In a conversation with IndieWire at the Toronto International Film Festival while promoting his upcoming film Bird with director Andrea Arnold (Fish Tank, Red Road, American Honey), the conversation naturally turned to the crime drama, where Keoghan was asked for an update on the adaptation.
“I wouldn’t be attached to it if I didn’t [read the script],” Keoghan said in response, confirming that he had “loved” the script he’d read and had been in talks with Cillian Murphy, who plays gangster Tommy Shelby, about the script. To wrap up, Keoghan said the adaptation would be “epic.”
Keoghan, 31, has gained recognition for his roles in Eternals, Dunkirk, Saltburn, The Banshees of Inisherin, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, and his role as The Joker in The Batman. He has further featured in high-profile television shows such as Chernobyl, Top Boy, and Masters of the Air.
The original Peaky Blinders cast featured the likes of the late Helen McCrory, Joe Cole, Annabelle Wallis, Paul Anderson, Tom Hardy, Finn Cole, Sophie Rundle, and Sam Claflin.
With his latest film, Bird, Keoghan is working alongside Nykiya Adams. Describing Arnold as a director “people accept and trust,” Keoghan further lauded Adams as “fascinating to watch.”
Also in attendance at the Toronto International Film Festival was Andrew Garfield, who discussed, among other things, the potential for an appearance in Spider-Man 4.
