With his busy, blossoming film career, you might not expect Tom Hardy to have the time or inclination to commit to a TV role. But when it means a reunion with Locke writer-director Steven Knight and (probably) represents only a one-series time requirement, you can perhaps see the appeal. Prepare to see Hardy head back in time, then, for Peaky Blinders{
The huge success of the BBC drama, which features Cillian Murphy and Sam Neill, probably didn’t hurt Hardy’s decision-making process either. For those who haven't seen the show, Peaky Blinders is set in Birmingham in 1919 and focuses on a feared gang known for sewing razor blades into the peaks of their caps as a means of dishing out rough justice in their campaign to dominate crime and trade in the city.
Hardy is set to appear as a charismatic leader who will present both a problem and an opportunity to Murphy’s Tommy Shelby as he tightens his grip on power. Knight is once more writing all six episodes of the second series, which will kick off shooting later this year.
Locke, featuring Hardy’s luxurious beard, is out on April 18. We’ll also see the actor in Child 44 and The Drop this year, with Mad Max: Fury Road due in 2015 and Elton John biopic Rocketman set to shoot in the coming months.