Peaky Blinders rushes back to Britain’s big screen as Kelmarsh Tunnel emerges as key new location
peaky blinders has surfaced at a “little known gem” in Northamptonshire as production details sharpen around the new Netflix film The Immortal Man. At 8: 00 PM ET on March 10, the focus is on Kelmarsh Tunnel, a disused railway tunnel used for a key part of the latest Shelby-family instalment. The project is positioned as a theatrical event first, then streaming, as the team aims for audiences to “come together” before the wider release.
Kelmarsh Tunnel: the enclosed set-piece location
Kelmarsh Tunnel, on the former Northampton to Market Harborough line, was used as a filming location for The Immortal Man. Director Tom Harper described the brick tunnel as “one of those treasures that you sometimes find when you’re filming, ” highlighting its visual appeal and the practical advantage of an enclosed area.
Harper said the tunnel’s setting helped the production work with fewer interruptions, noting the “enclosed” location meant filming could proceed with not many members of the public around. He also pointed to the tunnel’s remoteness and the fact it is “quite tricky to get into, ” which reduced the chance of fans gathering to watch the shoot.
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man rollout and what’s confirmed
The new film brings Oscar winner Cillian Murphy back as Tommy Shelby, depicted returning to Birmingham during World War Two. The release plan is set: it will be shown in selected cinemas before becoming available to stream on Netflix from March 20.
Harper framed the strategy as deliberately communal, saying: “We wanted to create a big story that felt like an event that people could come together to watch as an audience. ” He also said that a bigger film budget allowed the production to travel widely and secure distinctive locations, adding that it meant “we could go to all these incredible places and find all these little known gems. ”
Creator Stephen Knight addressed the geography behind the project’s look and feel, saying that while the series was set in Birmingham it was mostly shot in Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool, and adding that “this time I thought it was really important to come home. ” Filming took place across Birmingham as well as parts of Northamptonshire.
Immediate reactions from the film’s key voices
Harper emphasized the continued pull of major-location filmmaking, even as productions become more common across the UK: “Even now with so much filming going on, when you see a film shot somewhere it still feels exciting, the silver screen, there’s something about it that just has some magic. ”
Actor Paul Anderson, who played Arthur throughout six seasons of the show, offered a more personal reaction to the shift into a feature film. He said he thought the film is “amazing, ” but admitted he was “apprehensive” about moving to a movie format. Anderson said: “We made a good show, we ain’t made enough seasons – I think we should’ve just done a couple more seasons. I don’t see a reason to do a film to be honest. ”
Anderson also underlined how much the final judgement rests with audiences: “It’s about what the fans think and if they don’t like it, we’re at the mercy of them. ” He told viewers heading to cinemas they are “in for a surprise, ” and said they will see “Arthur in a very different light. ”
Quick context
The Immortal Man is the latest instalment documenting the Shelby family’s story, expanding from its Birmingham roots while leaning into a larger-scale film format. The production’s location choices now include Birmingham and Northamptonshire, with Kelmarsh Tunnel singled out as an important part of the film.
What’s next after March 20
With selected cinema screenings set to precede streaming, the next immediate milestone is the film’s availability on Netflix from March 20. For fans tracking the project in real time at 8: 00 PM ET on March 10, the clearest new picture is how peaky blinders is using distinctive, controlled locations like Kelmarsh Tunnel to deliver a bigger “event” release—first in theaters, then at home.
