‘Peaky Blinders’ theme park “on the cards” for Birmingham
Plans for a Peaky Blinders theme park in Birmingham are currently underway, it has been reported.
According to the Mail Online, tourism chiefs are hoping to further capitalise on the BBC crime series’ association with the UK’s second city by creating a permanent major attraction.
Neil Rami, chief executive of West Midlands Growth Company, told the outlet: “We have witnessed at first hand just how much of a global phenomenon Peaky Blinders has become, putting our region on the map with domestic and international visitors.
“Following the positive impact of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, we are keen to keep the spotlight firmly on the area by exploring the feasibility of something more permanent to capitalise on the positive momentum of the ‘Peaky effect’ with visitors.”
Councillor Ian Ward, leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “Birmingham is central to the Peaky Blinders story, with the city and Black Country’s streets relayed to millions of homes in the UK and across the world.
“Beyond Peaky Blinders‘ popularity, the appeal of Birmingham as a prime location for leading national and international filmmakers has grown, with the likes of Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise recently calling the city home for filming projects.”
Further details on the apparent theme park plans are not yet known.
Last year, it was reported that the production team behind Peaky Blinders were planning to launch a chain of official themed pubs, bars and barbershops.
The sixth and final season of Peaky Blinders concluded in April 2022. Last summer, creator Steven Knight confirmed that he had almost finished writing a feature length spin-off film. Cillian Murphy, who played Tommy Shelby, said in October that the script was “close” to being finished.
It is expected that the movie will pick up where the show’s finale ended.
Knight also hinted last year that the Peaky Blinders story could continue beyond the film with a brand-new series, “if there is an appetite for the world”.
Peaky Blinders‘ final season landed at Number 9 on NME‘s 20 best TV shows of 2022 list, where it was praised for its “rich, cinematic and fulfilling ending”.
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Tom Skinner
NME
