Peaky Blinders: Steven Knight Considered Ghostly Return for Tom Hardy’s Alfie Solomons

Birmingham, England – Steven Knight, the creator of the acclaimed crime drama Peaky Blinders, considered a spectral return for Tom Hardy’s fan-favorite character Alfie Solomons in the recently released film, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man. Knight revealed he explored a storyline where Alfie, previously believed to have survived a shooting, would be revealed as a ghost, appearing only to Cillian Murphy’s Tommy Shelby.

The revelation, shared with The Hollywood Reporter, came as fans grapple with the absence of several key characters from the film, including Solomons and Lizzie Shelby. The Immortal Man, which premiered on March 2nd, 2026, in Birmingham and subsequently launched on Netflix, has already garnered 25.3 million views within its first five days on the streaming platform, according to reports.

Alfie Solomons, the cunning leader of a Camden Town gang, first appeared in the second season of Peaky Blinders, establishing a complex relationship with Tommy Shelby – oscillating between rivalry and uneasy alliance. In season four, Tommy shot Alfie at his request, ostensibly ending his life. Still, the character unexpectedly reappeared in season five, having survived the ordeal and retreated into seclusion. This history informed Knight’s contemplation of a ghostly return.

Knight explained that the unique dynamic between Tommy and Alfie – their interactions occurring exclusively in private after the shooting – sparked the idea. “Ever since he was shot on the beach at Margate [in season four], you’ve only ever seen Tommy and Alfie together alone,” Knight said. “I thought, ‘Maybe [Alfie] appears, and we realise he’s been dead all that time.’” Knight noted he ultimately abandoned the concept, but it remained a serious consideration during the film’s development.

The potential ghostly narrative aligns with established elements of the Peaky Blinders universe, where Tommy Shelby has previously experienced visions and interacted with figures from his past. The decision to omit Alfie entirely, however, has drawn criticism from viewers, with some questioning the lack of even a mention of the character’s fate. One Reddit user commented, “I can accept Alfie not appearing. What I can’t really accept is Alfie not even being mentioned.”

Knight recently addressed another notable absence from The Immortal Man, explaining the decision to exclude Paul Anderson, who played Arthur Shelby, was driven by narrative considerations. The creative choices surrounding character inclusion and exclusion in the film continue to fuel discussion among fans as they dissect the final chapter in the Peaky Blinders saga.