The end of an era is finally here for the Shelby family. With the upcoming release of Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, the story of Tommy Shelby and his notorious gang is set to conclude. The film, arriving in theatres on March 6 and on Netflix on March 20, picks up years after the TV series finale.
For those who need a refresher before watching Tommy’s last ride, here is a complete look back at the key events from the six seasons of the Steven Knight crime drama. From the muddy streets of 1919 Birmingham to the edge of World War II, this is the timeline of the Peaky Blinders.
The Beginning: Series 1 (1919)
The story starts in 1919, just months after the end of World War I. Thomas “Tommy” Shelby (Cillian Murphy) returns home to Birmingham, trying to find his place in a world that has changed forever. He leads the Peaky Blinders, a gang known for their razor blades sewn into the peaks of their flat caps.
The first series focuses on the gang’s attempt to move up in the world by stealing a shipment of guns from a local factory. This brings them to the attention of Chief Inspector Chester Campbell (Sam Neill), a brutal detective sent by Winston Churchill to clean up the city and recover the weapons.
Tommy also meets Grace Burgess (Annabelle Wallis), a barmaid at the Garrison pub who is secretly working undercover for Campbell. Despite the deception, Tommy and Grace fall for each other. The series ends with the Peaky Blinders taking over the betting pitches at the Worcester Races, killing their rival Billy Kimber, and Grace shooting Campbell to save Tommy’s life before she leaves Birmingham.
Expanding the Empire: Series 2 (1921-1922)
Jumping to 1921, the Shelby family has expanded their operations. They now control the racecourses in the South, but this brings new enemies. Tommy faces off against London gang leader Darby Sabini (Noah Taylor) and forms an uneasy alliance with the volatile Jewish gangster Alfie Solomons (Tom Hardy), based in Camden Town.
Campbell returns, now a Major, and forces Tommy into a dangerous deal with the Crown to assassinate a communist. The stakes get higher when Grace reappears, now married to a wealthy man. Tommy also meets the wealthy May Carleton (Charlotte Riley), who shares his passion for horses.
The series builds to a bloody showdown at Epsom racecourse on Derby Day. Campbell betrays Tommy, planning to have him killed. However, in a final twist, Campbell is shot and killed by Grace, who returns to Tommy for good. The season ends with the gang surviving but constantly looking over their shoulder.
International Affairs: Series 3 (1924)
By 1924, the Shelbys have gone legit. Well, sort of. They form Shelby Company Limited and enter the world of international business. Tommy agrees to a deal with a group of wealthy Russian aristocrats to recover their stolen jewels.
This season introduces powerful new threats. Father John Hughes (Paddy Considine) represents a secret organization with ties to the British government, while the seductive Grand Duchess Tatiana Petrovna (Gaite Jansen) plays dangerous games with Tommy.
The plan goes wrong, leading to violence and betrayal. The season ends on a devastating note. Tommy’s young son Charles is kidnapped. Though the boy is safely returned, the family is shattered. In the finale, the police raid the family home, and Tommy is arrested, leaving his fate unknown.
Revenge of the Mafia: Series 4 (1925-1926)
Set on Christmas Eve 1925, the family is scattered and broken. Tommy is released from prison, but a new enemy arrives in Birmingham. Luca Changretta (Adrien Brody), a cold-blooded mobster from New York, comes to avenge the death of his father, which happened back in Series 3.
Changretta’s vendetta targets the entire Shelby family. The season is a brutal war of survival. The family suffers a major loss when John Shelby (Joe Cole) is killed in a hail of gunfire. This forces Tommy to reunite the family and call on old allies, including Alfie Solomons and the deadly gypsy fighter Aberama Gold (Aidan Gillen).
Tommy eventually defeats Changretta, but the victory is costly. The season ends in 1926 during the General Strike, with Tommy using the communist leader Jessie Eden for information. In a final power move, he is elected as a Member of Parliament, entering the political world.
The Political Game: Series 5 (1929)
Now an MP, Tommy faces his most dangerous enemy yet: Sir Oswald Mosley (Sam Claflin). The year is 1929, starting on Black Tuesday, the day of the Wall Street Crash. Mosley is a charismatic politician with a growing following of fascists, and Tommy sees the threat he poses to the country.
Tommy infiltrates Mosley’s circle, but it proves difficult. The family business is struggling after the crash, and Michael Gray (Finn Cole) returns from America with his ambitious wife Gina (Anya Taylor-Joy), causing tension within the family.
Tommy plans a massive assassination attempt on Mosley at a rally. However, the plan fails. The season finale shows Tommy standing in a field, a gun to his head, broken by his failure and the realization that there is a traitor in his midst. He doesn’t pull the trigger, but he is at his lowest point.
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The Final Reckoning: Series 6 (1933)
The final season begins on December 5, 1933, the day Prohibition ends in America. Tommy is dealing with the aftermath of the failed assassination. The family is reeling from the loss of Aunt Polly (the late Helen McCrory), who was killed by the IRA on Tommy’s orders, a decision that haunts him.
Tommy learns he has a secret son, Duke Shelby (Conrad Khan), and brings him into the family business. His daughter Ruby falls ill and dies, pushing Tommy further into grief. To make matters worse, a doctor tells Tommy he is dying of tuberculoma, giving him only a year to live.
Believing his time is short, Tommy sets out to destroy all his remaining enemies. He confronts Mosley, the IRA, and finally, Michael, who has been plotting against him. Tommy shoots Michael dead. He then retreats to a wagon in the countryside, planning to die by suicide.
But he discovers a photograph. His doctor was at Mosley’s wedding. The diagnosis was a lie, a trick by Mosley to make him weak. Tommy realizes he is not dying. The series ends with Tommy riding away on a white horse, free from the death sentence, ready for whatever comes next.
What Comes Next: The Immortal Man (1940)
The story continues in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, which is set in 1940 during World War II. According to the official trailer and statements from Steven Knight, Tommy has been living in isolation, broken and haunted by his past .
He is drawn back to Birmingham when he learns that his son Duke (Barry Keoghan) is now leading the Peaky Blinders, running things “like it’s 1919 all over again” . A new political threat emerges in the form of Beckett (Tim Roth), a British fascist sympathizer. Tommy must return to the war, this time on the home front, as bombs fall on Birmingham.
Cillian Murphy described Tommy’s state as “as broken as he has been,” living in a “purgatory” of his own making . The film will explore the relationship between Tommy and Duke, bringing the story full circle as a new generation takes over.
A New Generation on TV
While The Immortal Man ends Tommy’s story, the world of Peaky Blinders will continue. Steven Knight has confirmed that the TV show will return, but it will follow a new generation of the Shelby family .
The new series will be set in 1953, picking up after World War II. It will focus on Birmingham rising from the ashes of the war and the new generation of Shelbys taking the wheel . Cillian Murphy will serve as an executive producer, but it is unclear if he will appear on screen.
For now, all eyes are on March 20, when Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man arrives on Netflix, giving fans the conclusion they have been waiting for.
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