The press tour for Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man brought Cillian Murphy to New York City, where the actor traded the flat cap for a microphone in a unique music challenge. Before walking the red carpet for the film’s premiere, the Oppenheimer star took time to prove his music knowledge for a special segment. The Irish actor, known for his intense role as Tommy Shelby, stepped into the spotlight to discuss the sounds that define his career and the hit Netflix series.
Murphy Tests His Music Knowledge With The Velvet Underground Challenge
During his busy promotional schedule in Manhattan, Cillian Murphy participated in a fast-paced quiz that pushed his music knowledge to the limit. The segment, filmed on the streets of New York, asked the actor to identify songs and artists ranging from classic rock to modern post-punk. One of the main topics covered was the experimental rock band The Velvet Underground.
The challenge proved that Murphy knows more than just acting. He easily recognized tracks by Frank Zappa and the legendary The Velvet Underground, showing a deep understanding of avant-garde and alternative music from the 1960s and 70s. The quiz also touched on the poetic sounds of Van Morrison, the youthful energy of Fontaines D.C. , and the classic rock power of Thin Lizzy.
“There’s certain music that just lends itself to Peaky Blinders. The Fontaines music works, it has that outlaw quality, that dangerous quality.”
Fans online reacted positively to the actor’s music taste, with many praising his knowledge of deep cuts. The segment highlighted how Murphy connects his artistic identity with the music that surrounds his work, particularly the Peaky Blinders universe.
A Look Back at the NYC Premiere of The Immortal Man
The streets of New York saw a gathering of stars on March 10, 2026, as Netflix hosted the U.S. premiere of Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man at the DGA Theater in Manhattan. Cillian Murphy walked the red carpet in a sharp black double-breasted suit with a polka dot tie, greeting hundreds of fans who waited for hours to see the cast.
Murphy was joined by new cast members Barry Keoghan, who plays Duke Shelby, and Rebecca Ferguson, who takes on the role of twins Kaulo and Zelda. The event also brought out Tim Roth, Stephen Graham, and series creator Steven Knight. Notable attendees included Adrien Brody, singer Ed Sheeran, and actor Steve Buscemi.
Following the screening, guests moved to The Plaza Hotel for an after-party. The event space was designed to look like The Garrison, the famous Shelby family pub from the show, with dim lighting and vintage decorations.
The Deep Connection Between Tommy Shelby and the Show’s Soundtrack
Music has always been a core part of the Peaky Blinders experience, and Cillian Murphy recently shared his personal “ultimate setlist” for the show. Speaking to NME, the actor picked seven tracks that define the spirit of Tommy Shelby.
His first choice was Black Sabbath’s War Pigs, calling it a “phenomenal, blistering piece of music.” He drew a direct line between the band’s frontman and his character. Murphy said, “I think you could draw some line between Tommy Shelby and Ozzy Osbourne if you so wished. Kind of rebels, both of them.”
For a track that represents Tommy Shelby’s soul, Murphy selected Leonard Cohen’s You Want It Darker. He described it as “the essence of Peaky Blinders and Tommy Shelby distilled into a track.” The actor also picked Thom Yorke’s The Eraser as his go-to song for getting into character, pointing to the lyric “The more you try to erase me, the more that I appear” as the perfect description of his character’s resilience.
Murphy dedicated Sinéad O’Connor’s Mandinka to the late Polly Gray, played by Helen McCrory. He praised O’Connor’s rebellious spirit, saying Polly Gray had the “same ferocity and fearlessness as a woman that Sinéad O’Connor embodied.”
The Velvet Underground and New York’s Artistic Legacy
The mention of The Velvet Underground during Murphy’s street quiz ties directly to the location of the press tour. The band, fronted by Lou Reed and promoted by artist Andy Warhol, was based in New York City during the 1960s. Their raw sound and dark themes about city life, drug use, and violence matched the gritty storytelling that Peaky Blinders fans love.
Andy Warhol famously promoted The Velvet Underground and helped produce their debut album with singer Nico. That partnership created one of the most influential records in alternative music history. Murphy’s knowledge of the band shows his appreciation for artists who rejected mainstream rules, a trait he looks for in the music used in Peaky Blinders.
Murphy previously told NME that selecting songs for the show comes down to a simple feeling. “You just know when a song is ‘Peaky’,” he said. “The artists are outsiders. They have resisted the tyranny of the mainstream.”
New Music From Fontaines D.C. Joins the Film’s Soundtrack
The upcoming film features fresh music from Irish post-punk band Fontaines D.C. , a group Murphy openly supports. The band recorded the track Puppet specifically for the movie. Murphy admitted to being a “massive fan” and even joked that he is “just a groupie” for the band.
Grian Chatten, the band’s lead singer, joked about preparing for the recording session. He said, “I locked myself in a cupboard for six weeks, didn’t speak to anyone, and it was very difficult not to shave my head in the Peaky style.” The song is part of a 36-track soundtrack that includes other new material from artists like Lankum, Nick Cave, and Amy Taylor.
The film’s composers, Martin Slattery and Antony Genn, described the album as having “a lot of guts and the feeling of the human hand.” Murphy credited Genn with reaching out about the collaboration, while Murphy himself suggested bringing in Fontaines D.C. because of his personal admiration for their work.
What to Expect From the Peaky Blinders Film
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man picks up the story four years after the series finale. The film is set in 1940 during World War II and finds Tommy Shelby pulled out of a self-imposed exile. He returns to Birmingham to protect his family and country during the war.
The film explores Tommy’s struggle with his past and his relationship with his son Duke Shelby, played by Barry Keoghan. Steven Knight wrote the script, and Tom Harper directed the movie. The cast also includes Sophie Rundle, Ned Dennehy, and Jay Lycurgo.
Cillian Murphy spoke about returning to the role after 13 years. He said,
“You have 13 years of this. You have lived with him. I have aged with him. It is time. Experience. A part of my life. I will never experience anything like that again.”
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Streaming and Release Information
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man played in select theaters starting March 6, 2026. The film is available for streaming on Netflix starting from March 20, 2026. Viewers in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, India, and other global regions is now able to watch the movie on the platform.
The film runs for approximately two hours and completes the story that began with the first season of the TV show in 2013.
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