AceShowbiz - Peaky Blinders fans finally got some long-awaited answers in the follow-up film Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, which premiered on Netflix on Friday, March 20. The movie marked the return of Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby, the Birmingham gangster with a morally complex past, for one last intense showdown.

Murphy had portrayed Tommy Shelby throughout the original series, which aired six seasons from 2013 to 2022. While the series finale provided an ambiguous conclusion for Tommy’s story, the new film sought to clarify his fate and expand the Shelby family saga.

In the film, Tommy has become a recluse after the death of his older brother Arthur Shelby, originally played by Paul Anderson in the series. Tommy's reclusive life is interrupted by his son, Erasmus "Duke" Shelby, portrayed by Barry Keoghan, who is now leading the Peaky Blinders gang. Their tense father-son confrontation is a central focus of the film.

Back in Birmingham, Tommy learns of a tragic event: his sister Ada Shelby, played by Sophie Rundle in the series, has been executed in a brutal style by the film’s antagonist, John Beckett, a Nazi sympathizer introduced in this installment and played by Tim Roth. Beckett’s character adds a new layer to the story, recruiting Duke to aid Nazi Germany’s war efforts during World War II.

The film culminates in the Peaky Blinders reclaiming control and ending Beckett’s threat. However, the story closes on a dramatic and fatal note as Tommy ultimately dies at the hands of his own son, Duke. This shocking conclusion sets the stage for the future of the Shelby legacy.

Series creator Steven Knight has promised that the Peaky Blinders universe will continue, though no specific details about upcoming projects have been revealed. The film clearly paves the way for the next generation of Birmingham’s most feared gang to rise.

Despite the film answering many questions, several important plot points remain unresolved or unexplored, leaving fans eager for more. Here are some of the biggest questions left after watching Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man:

What exactly is John Beckett’s role in the film’s narrative?
Introduced as a Nazi sympathizer, Beckett recruits Duke Shelby to help Germany win World War II. His presence ties the Shelby family saga to the larger historical context of the war, but the film leaves some ambiguity about the full extent of his influence and plans beyond his recruitment efforts.

Why is Finn Shelby absent from the film?
Harry Kirton’s character Finn Shelby, the youngest Shelby sibling in the original series, is notably missing. Tommy himself refers to being the last surviving Shelby sibling after Ada’s death, with no mention of Finn. Fans have speculated this was intentional since Finn was estranged from the family by the series end and was vowing revenge on Duke. Could Finn’s story be developed in future installments?

Where is Lizzie Shelby?
Natasha O’Keeffe’s character Lizzie, Tommy’s former wife and mother to his stepson Charles, does not appear in the film. This absence aligns with her departure in the final season of the series when she left Tommy, taking Charles with her. However, an update on Lizzie’s life or her relationship with the Shelbys could have added depth to the story.

What became of Charles Shelby, Tommy’s stepson?
Charles only makes a brief appearance in the film, which takes place five years after the series finale. He is shown serving on the front lines during World War II and is briefly seen at Tommy’s funeral. His limited presence raises questions about his role in the Shelby legacy moving forward.

What happened to Karl Thorne after Ada’s death?
Karl Thorne, played by Kasper Hilton-Hille, confronts Ada at their mother’s funeral, but the film reveals little about his fate following her execution. His storyline remains open-ended and unexplored.

Where is Alfie Solomons?
One of the film’s most noticeable absences is Tom Hardy’s Alfie Solomons. The beloved character from the series does not appear or get mentioned. Creator Steven Knight explained that the film had to be tightly focused on Tommy Shelby, limiting the inclusion of other fan-favorite characters due to time constraints.

"When you're writing a TV series, you have the luxury of time and you can populate it with more characters. But for the film, I had to be laser-focused and it has to be on Tommy," Knight said, underscoring the narrative choices made for the movie.

The film also sparked discussion about the timeline and character developments, especially in relation to World War II and the shifting dynamics within the Shelby family. The political undertones introduced through John Beckett and Duke Shelby’s involvement with the Nazis add a grim historical angle to the story.

With Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man now streaming, fans are eager to see how the Shelby story will expand. The film provides closure for Tommy’s arc but also opens the door to fresh narratives centered on Duke Shelby and the new generation of gangsters rising in Birmingham.

As anticipation builds for what’s next, viewers are left with many unanswered questions and a clear indication that the Peaky Blinders universe is far from finished. The film serves as both an ending and a beginning, bridging the original series with potential future stories set against the backdrop of a world at war.

For now, fans can revisit the film on Netflix and continue to speculate about the fates of the characters who didn’t get their stories fully told. Meanwhile, the legacy of the Shelby family remains as compelling and dangerous as ever.