How the Blockbuster Cillian Murphy Starrer Has Inspired a New Irish Gangster Series by Chris Brancata

Published 03/21/2024, 4:07 AM EDT

The recent Oscar win for Cillian Murphy may have redirected all eyes toward the Oscar winner, but his talent earned its recognition long before. As a seasoned star in Tinseltown, Murphy’s resume list of films has many nods for blockbuster hits. But even with his solitary duration on the TV screen, his influence is prominent enough to chart the roads of inspiration. Hence, keeping his TV presence as a source of inspiration, the Narcos creator, Chris Brancata, has announced a fresh period drama.

As fans and makers eye Murphy for the next James Bond, some underlying developments hint that creators are also rooting for his gangster avatar for television’s stimulation palette.

Which screen presence by Cillian Murphy inspired Chris Brancata?

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Chris Brancato confessed the developmental details for a period crime series for MGM+ on Wednesday at the TV Festival Series Mania in Lille, France. During the last few minutes of his talk, he made the announcement. Also, he let slip that the upcoming crime thriller may embody a stylization familiar to Cillian Murphy’s Peaky Blinders with a focus on Irish gangs in New York. Hence, not only is Peaky Blinders a player for his motivation but even Murphy’s Irish roots, aiming at a confluence.

Even Brancato sealed his lips from delivering further details, except for the show’s working title. Reportedly, the series has a working moniker called The Westies which will follow the “fearsome Irish gangs” of 19th Century New York. Amidst the bombshell revelations for his upcoming, he also gave a nod to a potential follow-up of Hotel Cocaine, a crime thriller based on a Cuban exile during the cocaine scourge in the late 1970s and early 80s. 

Cillian Murphy Early Life and Education: Where Is the Oscar Favorite’s Alma Mater?

Since creators have been keeping Peaky Blinders on the pedestal of inspiration for the future of streaming, following close on heels is also the Peaky Blinder creator, readying his guns for another historical epic. 

Peaky Blinders creator announces new period drama

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When Cillian Murphy starred as the frontman of the Birmingham gang, the world of streamers harkened on a new avenue of screening experience. His impact from the show was such a hit for fans that his solitary strand of hair from the same set is now making profit in big figures. While indeed the frenzy is untameable, it might get even more rogue since the Peaky Blinders maker, Steven Knight, is stepping into another historical saga called the House of Guinness.

The series will supposedly follow one of Ireland’s most prolific families. The plot will be set between 19th-century Dublin and New York and will focus on the main behind the success of Guinness Brewery. As Knight is no stranger to the creation of period pieces based on true events of history, there is a possibility that the show will imitate the success of Peaky Blinders. Now, whether its lead will, in turn, inspire other creators to stylize shows like Murphy did for The Westies on the given palette is a discussion for the future.

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Behind Cillian Murphy’s Oscar-Winning Get-Up at the 96th Oscars

What do you think of Chris Brancata taking inspiration from Peaky Blinders starring Cillian Murphy for his upcoming period crime thriller? Let us know in the comments below!

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Anushka Bhattacharya

561 articles

I'm Anushka Bhattacharya, an entertainment journalist at Netflix Junkie. Armed with a degree in literature, I once wielded my words to catalyze change within society through my work with NGOs. However, as I stumbled into the exuberant hole of crime thrillers and documentaries on Netflix, it was love at first sight and pushed me into entertainment journalism.

Edited By: Aliza Siddiqui

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