Now on Netflix: Titus Welliver’s Gritty New Crime Series Could Be the Next Peaky Blinders — Dark, Brutal, and Totally Addictive
Fans of the Birmingham gang saga are in for a treat as Welliver delivers a powerhouse performance in a world of crime, betrayal, and high-stakes drama. Could this be the successor we’ve all been waiting for?

Titus Welliver has been cast in an upcoming, gritty crime series that feels like the perfect successor to Peaky Blinders. Actor Titus Welliver has a long career acting in police procedurals, so he has extensive experience in the genre. Still, his best-known role is Harry Bosch in the Prime Video detective show Bosch, based on the books by Michael Connelly.

Now, the Satellite Awards-nominated actor is taking on a cop role in a slightly different genre – a gangster crime drama. Welliver and J.K. Simmons are two of the many actors who will appear in MGM+’s The Westies.

Though it hasn’t released yet, the upcoming show is basically guaranteed to be the perfect follow-up to Peaky Blinders, the BAFTA-winning show that ran from 2013 to 2022.

The Westies’ Period Gangster Story Sounds Like TV’s New Peaky Blinders Replacement

Set in the early ‘80s, The Westies follows the titular Irish-American gang, who find an opportunity to gain money and power because of the Jacob Javitz Convention Center in their home turf of Hell’s Kitchen. This will lead to a conflict between the younger generation of gan members and the leaders who are stuck in their ways.

From the premise alone, Peaky Blinders fans will likely be intrigued by The Westies. However, there are also bigger connections, like the Irish roots of the gang. The Shelby family in Peaky Blinders has mixed Irish and Romani roots. Meanwhile, the Westies are comprised of Irish-American immigrants and their descendants.

Additionally, the local police will have personal ties to the mob, like Sam Neill’s Inspector Campbell in Peaky Blinders season 1. The upcoming Titus Welliver show will also feature two opposing gangs, The Westies and The Five Families, working together and in conflict, similar to the one between the Peaky Blinders and the New York Mafia in season 4.

The Westies & Peaky Blinders Are Both Inspired By Real-Life Gangs

Sometimes, great gangster shows create gangs from scratch, instead of drawing from history. However, both Peaky Blinders and The Westies are named after their titular real-life gangs, which will appeal to viewers who enjoy history. The Peaky Blinders operated from the 1880s to the 1920s, starting in Birmingham.

However, the show was only a loose interpretation. For example, the real-life Peaky Blinders gang didn’t sew razor blades in their hats, and the events of the story are hit-or-miss for their accuracy.

The Westies are considered one of the most vicious New York City gangs, and their crimes included murder as well as “attempted murder, kidnapping, loan-sharking, extortion, gambling, and drug dealing” (via The New York Times).

Meanwhile, the real-life Westies operated in Hell’s Kitchen, NYC, from the mid-1960s to 1988. However, since The Westies isn’t out yet, it’s unclear how closely the show will follow the true story of the real gang.