'Peaky Blinders' Creator Will Embrace British Boxing Thugs in New Hulu Series

Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight will enter the ring of illegal boxing in 1880s Victorian London via new Hulu series "A Thousand Blows."

‘Peaky Blinders’ Creator Will Embrace British Boxing Thugs in New Hulu Series

Put down the razor blades and lace up the gloves: “Peaky Blinders” creator Steven Knight is entering the ring of illegal boxing in 1880s Victorian London via new Hulu (here)/Disney+ (overseas) series “A Thousand Blows.” He’ll have a familiar face by his side in star Stephen Graham, who appeared in several episodes of “Peaky Blinders” in its final season.

The new 12-part, hour-long series follows Hezekiah and Alec, best friends from Jamaica who find themselves thrust into the vibrant and violent melting pot of post-industrial revolution London’s East End. Drawn into the criminal underbelly of the thriving illegal boxing scene, Hezekiah meets Mary Carr, leader of The Forty Elephants – the notorious all-female London gang – as they battle for survival on the streets.

As Hezekiah sharpens his new skills, he comes up against Sugar Goodson, a seasoned and dangerous boxer played by Graham, and the two are soon locked into an intense rivalry that spills out way beyond the ring, it continues. Ding, ding.

“A Thousand Blows,” which is a working title, will be written and executive produced by Knight. Ameir Brown, Insook Chappell, Harlan Davies, and Yasmin Joseph make up Knight’s writers room.

Star Graham gets an executive producer credit, as do Hannah Walters, Damian Keogh, Kate Lewis, Tom Miller, Sam Myer, Professor David Olusoga, and Lee Mason, the director of scripted content EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) for Disney+. Tinge Krishnan will be lead director and another executive producer.

“I’m really thrilled to be working on this project with Stephen as well as the very talented production team and group of writers,” Knight said in a statement shared with media. “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.”

“To be able to work with Steve again and the talented team of writers we have for this project is truly wonderful, and to tell the story of these incredible characters during this period of time in London is a joy,” Graham added. “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. ‘Don’t count the days… Make the days count.’ – Muhammad Ali.”

The series is being produced by The Story Collective in a co-production with Matriarch Productions and Water & Power Productions. The UK original series will premiere on Disney+ in EMEA and Asia Pacific, Star+ in Latin America and Hulu in the US. Disney’s international content and operations team plans to create 60 local productions in EMEA by 2024.