Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man director explains new version of theme song: “There’s tragedy in his voice”

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Tom Harper, who directed three episodes of the first season of Peaky Blinders over ten years ago, returns to direct the new film, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man. It’s currently playing in some UK cinemas.

We recently spoke with Harper about reprising their role in the popular series as it gains worldwide recognition, and about collaborating with Nick Cave to create a fresh recording of his famous song, “Red Right Hand,” which also serves as the show’s theme song. This conversation took place before the film’s release on Netflix this week.

You worked on the very first series – what’s it like to come back to Peaky Blinders?

We weren’t sure how it would turn out, but we really wanted to make something cinematic, and the chance to do that was too good to pass up.

Did Nick Cave record a new version of Red Right Hand for a key scene with Cillian?

When we first put that scene together, the original music, “Red Right Hand,” didn’t quite fit. It felt like the song portrayed Tommy as a confident, swaggering young man, and while he still has traces of that personality, he’s now much more vulnerable and damaged.

We asked Nick to re-record the part, and it sounds fantastic. His voice blends well with Tommy’s, but Nick brings a more mature, and slightly melancholic quality to it. You can hear a hint of sadness and vulnerability in his performance, which makes it really moving and authentic.

Why did you decide to keep Cillian and Barry apart for a long section at the beginning of the film?

Steve’s original vision for the script always involved a delayed payoff, and the challenge was finding the right timing. We wanted to make people wait as long as possible without frustrating them or seeming unnecessarily drawn-out.

As a fan, what really struck me about these two characters, Tommy and Duke, is how different they are. Tommy is so quiet and withdrawn, almost isolated, while Duke is just pure energy and chaos. The story builds this tension by constantly contrasting them, and then when they finally collide, it’s like this huge, explosive moment – it’s amazing!

You’re a Quaker, did you worry about the violence in the film?

Life often contains harsh realities, and I believe stories give us a way to explore those difficult truths with honesty and empathy.

I’ve always been drawn to the story of the Shelbys because they represent a group deeply affected by hardship. After bravely serving their country in war, they returned home to find they were forgotten and unsupported, leading them to seek their own way to rebuild their lives.

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The new Peaky Blinders movie, “The Immortal Man,” is now playing in some UK cinemas. You’ll be able to watch it on Netflix starting March 20th, with subscriptions available from £5.99 per month. Netflix is also accessible through Sky Glass and Virgin Media. And if you want to rewatch the whole series, it’s currently available on BBC iPlayer.

Authors

Patrick CremonaSenior Film Writer

Patrick Cremona writes about film for TopMob, covering new releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. He joined the team in October 2019 and has since interviewed many famous actors and reviewed a wide variety of films.

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2026-03-18 11:34