Have you been struggling to fill the Peaky Blinders-shaped hole in your life since the wildly popular crime drama series ended? A forthcoming Disney Plus show might end your long search for a worthy successor.
A Thousand Blows, an epic Victorian era-set TV series that’ll star Malachi Kirby, Stephen Graham, and Erin Doherty, looks and sounds like it could replace Thomas Shelby and company as your go-to source for turn-of-the-century crime-based storytelling. Well, until the Peaky Blinders movie makes its debut on Netflix, whenever that is.
Anyway, A Thousand Blows is not only in very capable creative hands, but it’s also perfectly positioned to tide you and I over until the aforementioned Cillian Murphy-starring crime film is ready to be released. How so? Because Steven Knight, Peaky Blinders‘ creator, is also the visionary behind A Thousand Blows‘ development. Hey, I did tell you it’s in very capable hands.
Okay, so what’s A Thousand Blows about? In short: illegal boxing in the 1880s. Oh, you wanted a more in-depth glimpse into its story? Alright, here you go: “BAFTA award-winning actor Kirby [stars] as Hezekiah Moscow, who finds himself thrust into the vibrant and violent melting pot of post-industrial revolution London’s East End from Jamaica.
“Drawn into the criminal underbelly of the thriving boxing scene, he meets Mary Carr (Doherty), leader of The Forty Elephants – the notorious all-female London gang – as they battle for survival on the streets. As Hezekiah sharpens his new skills, he comes up against Sugar Goodson (Graham), a seasoned and dangerous boxer, and the two are soon locked into an intense rivalry that spills out way beyond the ring.”
Teasing more of what viewers can expect, Knight said in a statement: “The love and care that went into this thrilling production is evident on screen from the first moment. What makes the story we tell all the more compelling is that it is based on the lives of real people who lived extraordinary lives in extraordinary times.”
Joining the series’ lead trio on its stacked roster are Francis Lovehall as Hezekiah’s best friend Alec Munroe, Jason Tobin will play Mr Lao, and James Nelson-Joyce is on board Edward ‘Treacle’ Goodson.
On The Forty Elephants front, Hannah Walters is portraying Eliza Moody, Darci Shaw will play Alice Diamond, Nadia Albina has been hired to portray Verity Ross, Morgan Hilaire is Esme Long, Jemma Carlton was cast as Belle Downer, and Caoilfhionn Dunne rounds out this part of the ensemble as Anne Glover.
Lastly, Susan Lynch portrays Jane Carr, Daniel Mays is involved as William ‘Punch’ Lewis, Adam Nagaitis plays the Earl of Lonsdale, Gary Lewis is part of proceedings as Jack Mac, Tom Davis will tackel the role of Charlie Mitchell, and Robert Glenister will portray Indigo Jeremy.
A Thousand Blows will make its Disney Plus debut (internationally) and sister streamer Hulu (US) when its first season arrives sometime in 2025. It’ll comprise six 60-minute long episodes, too. And yes, when I say “first season”, I mean it, because a second chapter – filmed back to back with its forebear – has already wrapped production. If Knight’s work on Peaky Blinders is any indication, I’d be amazed if A Thousand Blows doesn’t quickly cement a place for itself on our best Disney Plus shows and best Hulu shows lists.
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tom.power@futurenet.com (Tom Power)
