Peaky Blinders boss addresses Tom Hardy absence as he reveals scrapped Immortal Man twist

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Peaky Blinders spoilers follow.

Fans eager to revisit Tommy Shelby’s story after the Peaky Blinders TV show ended in 2022 are enjoying Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man. The new film features many returning actors, along with additions like Barry Keoghan and Tim Roth, but one character is conspicuously absent: Alfie Solomons, played by Tom Hardy.

Everyone believed the character died in season four, but they surprisingly reappeared at the end of season five and continued to be part of the show through season six.

Although Tom Hardy didn’t reprise his role in the film, the show’s creator, Steven Knight, has said he thought about bringing the character Alfie back, but with a changed backstory.

After only showing Alfie interacting with Tommy after season four ended, the show’s creator, Steven Knight, thought about revealing that Alfie had actually died and Tommy had been talking to his ghost all along.

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Knight shared with The Hollywood Reporter that he ultimately decided against pursuing an idea he’d been considering, which he hadn’t previously discussed.

Since Tommy was shot on the beach in Margate during season four, he and Alfie have always been shown together in private, with no one else around.

I had a thought – what if the character suddenly showed up, and it turned out he’d been dead the whole time? I almost went with that idea, but ultimately decided against it, though it definitely crossed my mind.

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man also contains a big twist for Arthur Shelby, who – spoilers below.

It’s revealed that Arthur died at the hands of his brother, though this happened off-screen. While some fans have reacted negatively to this plot point, the creator has explained that Tommy’s overwhelming guilt is essential to understanding his character’s troubled state in the film.

Knight explained he was exploring feelings of intense guilt in his writing. He realized the reason for the character’s guilt was simply because he was the one who caused it.

Knight emphasized that Tommy’s core value has always been family, making his recent actions even more shocking: he shot his own brother.

After that moment, everything completely unravels. There’s nothing remaining, as all of Tommy Shelby’s beliefs and values are destroyed in an instant. He’s lost everything that defined him, all at once.

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is now available to watch on Netflix.

Read more Peaky Blinders news on our dedicated homepage

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2026-03-25 14:49