This Is Why We're Freaking Out About the "Peaky Blinders" Ballet

If you, like us, have a thing for historical crime dramas and foul-mouthed British men, we’ve got great news: “Peaky Blinders,” the BBC’s cult favorite show following the Shelby family gang in 1920s Birmingham, might be getting the ballet treatment.

According to Deadline, creator Steven Knight recently said at a press event that the show will likely be continuing for at least three more seasons—and that British contemporary ballet company Rambert approached him about making a ballet.

It’s not exactly natural fodder for dance. (Though this isn’t the first time there’s been talk of a “Peaky” stage adaptation.) But we’re excited nevertheless. Here’s why:

1. Tommy Shelby Would Make One Hell of A Leading Man.

Played by the dreamy Cillian Murphy, Tommy is a character we’d love to see portrayed on a ballet stage. He’s fiercely loyal to his family but so hungry for power that he’s willing to do pretty much anything. He’s tough as nails, but has some serious trauma from his time fighting in World War I. In other words, we see some intense variations in ballet-Tommy’s future.

2. Ballet-ified Gangster Costumes? Yes, Please.

The popularity of the show has prompted dozens of “How to Dress Like A Peaky Blinder” articles, and we get why. We’re very here for the ’20s British ganglord look (and haircut!). We’re dying to see the ballet version.

3. It’ll Take Ballet Outside Its Comfort Zone.

Did we mention that the Shelbys are foul-mouthed? They’re also extremely violent. They have a special penchant for gun fights, so we’re curious how that will work onstage.

4. It Has Amazing Roles for Women.

From the deviously lovable Shelby matriarch Aunt Polly to the undercover barmaid-turned-bonafied Peaky member Grace Shelby, the show has no shortage of powerful, complex female characters.

5. And Some Seriously Mystifying Plot Twists.

The Peakys get tangled up with everyone from rival families to the Irish Republican Army to Russian aristocrats to Winston Churchill himself. There’s complicated political intrigue, and twists that will give you whiplash. Will it read on a ballet stage? Unclear. Will we love it anyway? Yep.