Tom Hardy and Taron Egerton's gritty new thriller is now streaming

A gritty thriller starring Tom Hardy and Taron Egerton has just landed on Prime Video, and early reactions are calling it one of the actor's most electrifying performances.

The film is 'Legend,' a 2015 crime drama written and directed by Brian Helgeland.

It dramatizes the real-life story of the Kray twins, notorious gangsters who ran organized crime in east London during the 1960s.

Hardy plays both Reggie Kray and Ron Kray, the twin brothers who led a criminal syndicate known as The Firm.

Critics at the time praised the dual performance as 'astonishing' (Variety) and 'utterly fascinating' (The Independent).

Taron Egerton co-stars as Mad Teddy Smith, a violent enforcer within The Firm.

The cast also includes Emily Browning as Frances Shea, Reggie's wife, and David Thewlis as Leslie Payne, the firm's business manager.

Christopher Eccleston plays Detective Nipper Read, the MET officer leading the manhunt for the twins.

Chazz Palminteri appears as Angelo Bruno, an American mafia boss with ties to the Krays.

The film is based on John Pearson's book 'The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of The Kray Twins.'

Pearson's book, published in 1972, remains one of the definitive accounts of the Krays' criminal empire.

The Kray twins operated out of Bethnal Green in east London and were at the height of their power in the 1960s.

They were involved in armed robbery, arson, protection rackets, and murder, and were eventually convicted in 1969.

Ron Kray was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, which added to his reputation for unpredictable violence.

Reggie Kray was considered the more controlled and business-minded of the two, though he was equally ruthless.

The film charts the brothers' rise to power, their growing empire, their relationships, and the police's obsession with taking them down.

Viewers on IMDb have called it 'one of the best films ever made,' with one fan saying Hardy will 'blow you away with his 5-star performance.'

Another reviewer wrote that 'you won't regret' watching the film.

The movie has a running time of 131 minutes and was produced by Working Title Films, the same studio behind 'Fargo' and 'Notting Hill.'

Helgeland, who also wrote 'L.A. Confidential' and 'Mystic River,' adapted the screenplay from Pearson's book.

This is not the first time Hardy has taken on a dual role.

He played both Kray brothers using a combination of visual effects and practical filming techniques, with body doubles and face replacement used to create the illusion of the twins interacting.

Hardy has said in interviews that playing both roles required separate physical and vocal transformations for each brother.

Ron Kray spoke with a higher-pitched, more menacing voice, while Reggie had a lower, smoother tone.

The makeup process took several hours each day, with prosthetics used to alter Hardy's facial features between characters.

'Legend' premiered at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and was released in theaters in the United Kingdom on September 9, 2015.

It grossed over $42 million worldwide against a production budget of $25 million.

The film received mixed to positive reviews from critics, with a 62% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Audience scores, however, have been consistently higher, with an 80% approval rating on the same platform.

Hardy's performance was widely singled out as the film's strongest element, earning him a nomination for Best Actor at the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA).

He lost to Leonardo DiCaprio for 'The Revenant,' but the nomination cemented his reputation as one of Britain's most versatile actors.

Egerton, who was then best known for the 'Kingsman' series, received praise for his role as Mad Teddy Smith, a character based on a real member of The Firm.

The real Mad Teddy Smith was known for his erratic behavior and loyalty to Ron Kray.

He was convicted alongside the Krays in 1969 and served a life sentence.

The film's sudden resurgence on streaming platforms comes as Hardy is enjoying renewed popularity for his role in the Paramount+ series 'MobLand,' where he plays Harry Da Souza, a ruthless fixer for a London crime family.

'MobLand' premiered its second season in early 2026 and has drawn strong viewership numbers.

Fans of the series have been searching for more Hardy content, driving interest in his earlier gangster roles.

'Legend' is now available to stream on Prime Video in the United States and the United Kingdom.

It is also available on ITVX and Disney+ in certain regions.