Steven Knight is back with drama A Thousand Blows, with Stephen Graham starring as a brutal bare-knuckle boxer
Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight has said his latest series could replace the hit crime drama as his new big franchise. The British writer and filmmaker’s latest project, A Thousand Blows, lands on Disney+ on Friday, February 21, and explores the world of illegal boxing in 1880s Victorian London.
The six-part series stars Malachi Kirby, Erin Doherty, and Stephen Graham, with the latter also serving as executive producer. As per the official synopsis, BAFTA-winner Kirby fronts the series as Hezekiah Moscow, who finds himself thrust into the vibrant and violent melting pot of post-industrial revolution London’s East End from Jamaica.
He becomes drawn into the criminal underbelly of the thriving boxing scene and meets Mary Carr (Doherty), leader of The Forty Elephants – based on the real-life all-female London gang – as they battle for survival on the streets. As Hezekiah sharpens his new skills, he comes up against seasoned and dangerous boxer Sugar Goodson (Graham), with the two becoming locked in an intense rivalry that spills out way beyond the ring.
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Speaking to Deadline ahead of the series debut, Knight said the ‘melting pot’ of London at the time provided all the creative ‘oxygen’ needed to craft his new original story. He said: “You have this big melting pot of London which was the capital of the world at the time and all kinds of things going on that as a writer of fiction you wouldn’t dare make up.
“So to put all those things together, the madness of London and the weirdness of real life gives the oxygen you need to write something.”
Disney+ now costs as little as £4.99 a month, but members can get 12 months for the price of 10 by paying for a year upfront on the ad-free Standard or Premium plans.
Disney+ is the only place to stream hit shows like Rivals, The Bear and Shōgun, plus blockbuster franchises like Star Wars and Marvel.
A Thousand Blows comes after Netflix confirmed filming on the upcoming Peaky Blinders film has wrapped, with a release date to be confirmed. The film – which sees Cillian Murphy reprise his role as Birmingham gangster Tommy Shelby – is a continuation of the hit BBC series.
But as the next chapter in the Shelby saga draws closer, Knight says he is ‘confident’ that A Thousand Blows – which has already completed production on a second season – can become his next big franchise.
“It’s like following a rope in a smoky room,” he told Deadline. “As long as people want it and the story works you just keep following.”
A Thousand Blows premieres February 21 on Disney+, which now starts at £4.99 for a monthly subscription that can be cancelled any time. Members can get the equivalent of two months free by paying for a year upfront on the Standard or Premium plan, bagging 12 months for the price of 10 and saving up to £25.98.
Elsewhere, Sky has just unveiled its new Sky Glass Gen 2 smart TV, with prices starting at £29 per month for the TV and a subscription with hundreds of channels and subscriptions to Netflix and Discovery+.