AceShowbiz - Peaky Blinders captivated audiences from 2013 to 2022 with its gripping portrayal of the Shelby crime family’s rise in post-World War I Birmingham. The British historical crime drama, led by Tommy Shelby, played by Cillian Murphy, charted the family’s rise across six seasons.

Recently, Paul Anderson, who portrayed Arthur Shelby, opened up in an interview with LADBible about the originally planned ending for the series and how it was ultimately altered by creator Steven Knight. The original conclusion was meant to include a significant scene involving the Shelby brothers and the ominous approach of World War II, but this was later scrapped.

Throughout the show’s run, the Shelby family endured numerous devastating losses, including the deaths of Grace Shelby, Polly Gray, Ruby Shelby, and John Shelby. It was John’s death, portrayed by Joe Cole, that deeply impacted the story’s original finale. Anderson revealed that Knight’s initial idea was to have the brothers—Joe Cole, Cillian Murphy, and Anderson himself—hear the bells and air raid sirens signaling the beginning of World War II. The camera would then pan over Birmingham as the war sirens blared, signaling the grim future awaiting their children who would be sent off to fight.

"He wanted it with Joe, Cillian and I. We hear the bells, and the siren rings out for the Second World War. Off go our children to fight - that was how he wanted to end it," Anderson explained. "The cameras were gonna pan up, over Birmingham, you'd hear the sirens, the 'we're at war with Germany' and that's it. That's how it was gonna end but a lot's happened since then."

While Anderson’s character Arthur was a significant presence throughout the series, he wasn't actually in the recent film sequel, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man. Anderson shared that Steven Knight was determined to find the “perfect ending” for the franchise but expressed some hesitation about expanding the story further with spin-offs and sequels. Interestingly, Anderson admitted he hasn’t actually watched any episodes of the original series but supports the film’s direction.

"It doesn't matter what we think of it, or what I think about it, or anyone for that matter. It's about what the fans think, and if they don't like it, we're at the mercy of them," he said.

The original Peaky Blinders series enjoyed critical and popular acclaim, holding an impressive 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The new film, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, is also being well received, boasting a 90% rating. The movie is currently in limited theatrical release and is scheduled to debut globally on Netflix on March 20.

Despite the ongoing enthusiasm for the franchise, details about future projects remain uncertain. A spin-off series is in production but lacks a definitive title, and there is some reluctance among the creative team about potentially diluting the brand with too many extensions.

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man will be available to stream on Netflix starting March 20.