This spring, the red right hand of Thomas Shelby’s criminal empire returned through Netflix’s Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man. The motion picture gave Cillian Murpjhy’s series patriarch a cinematic swan song, which also set the stage for a new era to dawn in the Shelby family. That’s exactly what’s happening now, as writer/creator Stephen Knight’s brutal creation lives again – and with a new lead at the head.
Peaky Blinders Will Return For Two Seasons Of Crime – Led By Jamie Bell’s Duke Shelby
Two six episode seasons (or “series” if you’re in the UK) are currently filming, per the press release issued by Netflix. Celebrating the news, Mr. Knight revealed that Duke Shelby (previously played by Barry Keough) will be our new protagonist. Recast with Rocketman‘s Jamie Bell, this switch up comes with these additional details:
I am thrilled that we are announcing a new era of Peaky Blinders, moving the story to post-war Birmingham in the early 50s. We are incredibly fortunate to have Jamie Bell taking the role of Tommy Shelby’s oldest son, Duke, and to have the incredible Charlie Heaton also leading the cast. There are more exciting cast announcements to come, and Peaky is on the road again.
As with Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, the streaming giant will be the international home for the program; with BBC One and BBC iPlayer delivering the episodes on the home front. What’s more, we actually have our first look at Bell’s incarnation of Duke, dudded up just like his dear old (on-screen) dad:
A new Peaky Blinders story will need some fresh players to populate its stage. Charlie Heaton’s casting is only part of the good news, as his fellow newbies are an assortment of talent set to help amp up the explosive tension of 1950’s Birmingham.
Peaky Blinders’ Criminal Expansion Also Includes Some Very Familiar Faces
The rest of the announced cast for Steven Knight’s crime drama have quite a combined resume. Also along for Peaky Blinders’ new spin are Downton Abbey vet Jessica Brown Findlay, The Day of The Jackal’s Lashana Lynch, and Lucy Karczewski – known for her role in the musical Stereophonic.
Sadly, there are no details as to who these new Peaky Blinders players will be portraying. Though true crime aficionados may have ideas on who might rear their head in these stories. However, fans can start to speculate on how they’ll factor into the life of Jamie Bell’s Duke Shelby, as we do have this synopsis for the road ahead:
In this new era of Peaky Blinders, a decade after World War Two, the race to rebuild Birmingham becomes a brutal contest of mythical dimensions. This is a city of unprecedented opportunity and jeopardy. At its blood-soaked heart is Duke Shelby (Jamie Bell): older, wiser, more ambitious, and most certainly more dangerous.
Unfortunately any further information past what you see here is known only to the order of the Peaky Blinders. If you haven’t caught The Immortal Man, or the rest of Thomas Shelby’s previous exploits, head over to Netfilx to kick start that ride. For all the latest and greatest in the pop culture, check out the THS TV News Archive – as further developments break.
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