A Thousand Blows will be released on
Disney+, and will contain twelve episodes.[1]
Premise
The series follows the fortunes of Hezekiah and Alec, two best friends newly arrived from
Jamaica. Fighting for survival in the violent melting pot of Victorian London's East End, they come up against Sugar Goodson, a dangerous, veteran boxer.
In August 2022, it was revealed that a boxing drama television series titled Thousand Blows was in development, with
Steven Knight set as the showrunner and executive producer of the series. It depicts the
Forty Elephants, a 19th to 20th century all-female
Londoncrime syndicate who specialized in
shoplifting. Tinge Krishnan is attached as the lead director and executive producer, with
Malachi Kirby cast in the lead role, alongside
Stephen Graham,
Erin Doherty, Francis Lovehall,
Jason Tobin,
James Nelson-Joyce, Nadia Albina, Morgan Hilaire, Jemma Carlton, and Caoilfhionn Dunne.[2][3][4] In July 2023,
Ella Lily Hyland revealed she has a role in the production.[5]