The Crown & Small Axe Casts Have Joined Forces For A Gritty New Series

We might have seen the final rolling credits for Peaky Blinders but Steven Knight — the screenwriter and director behind the iconic show — is not quite done yet. He’s in fact creating a new period drama based in Victorian London, with the show currently titled A Thousand Blows and will comprise 12 episodes. The new series already has quite the ensemble cast and will also serve as a Peaky Blinders reunion of sorts as alum and BAFTA-nominated Stephen Graham, who played Hayden Stagg in the hit series, will star in this new drama. And it’s a particularly big moment for Graham, whose production company — Matriarch Productions — will be co-producing the show and it’ll be the debut TV show for the company.

And so, here’s everything we know so far about the new Disney+ series, A Thousand Blows.

A Thousand Blows Plot

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the period drama is set in the 1880s and will be based on real-life people and stories and will focus on the story of two best friends from Jamaica, Hezekiah and Alec. They find themselves thrown into the hustle and bustle of London’s East End and being drawn into the criminal underworld of boxing, where they both meet Mary Carr — the leader of the all-female gang, The Forty Elephants. The boxing ring is also where Hezekiah and Alec come up against Sugar Goodson (played by Graham), an experienced and dangerous boxer, and a bitter and violent rivalry develops between the two friends.

A Thousand Blows Cast

Whilst Graham was the first actor to be officially attached to the project (playing the role of Sugar Goodson), A Thousand Blows now has several more cast members signed up for the series.

The show will feature a powerhouse duo in the lead with Small Axe’s Francis Lovehall as Alec and Black Mirror’s Malachi Kirby as Hezekiah. The highly-awaited series also stars Erin Doherty, known for her portrayal of Princess Anne in The Crown, as Mary Carr. Other cast members who will be joining the drama include Nadia Albina, Morgan Hilaire, Hannah Walters, Jemma Carlton, Jason Tobin, James Nelson-Joyce, and Caoilfhionn Dunne.

Tinge Krishnan, the director of Industry and WeCrashed, will act as lead director and executive producer with Top Boy’s Ashley Stars and Coky Giedroyc as series directors. Behind the cameras, professor and historian David Olusoga is serving as executive producer on the series, adding some historical heft to the show.

Knight told The Hollywood Reporter, “I always love to delve into untold history, and this is a story that really deserves to be told. We are recreating an amazing world and telling a remarkable true story.”

Also speaking on the upcoming series, Graham said: “Aside from having the privilege of bringing the role of Sugar Goodson to life, I am also extremely proud that Matriarch is co-producing this show whilst helping to create opportunities for people in front of and behind the camera, instilling the ethos of providing training within production that otherwise would be difficult for some to pursue as a career.”

A Thousand Blows Release Date

A release date hasn’t been confirmed just yet, but when it does air, the series will be available to watch on Disney+ in the UK, with Hulu and Star+ streaming the show internationally.

Although there’s no trailer yet, the show has reportedly begun filming in London. To build up the anticipation, Disney+ UK previously shared a tweet showing the front page of the script. Stay tuned for more updates on the release of A Thousand Blows.