Netflix has officially offered fans a sneak peek at the highly anticipated television follow-up to Peaky Blinders. It is confirmed that Jamie Bell is starring as Duke Shelby, the formidable son of Cillian Murphy’s legendary protagonist Thomas Shelby.
The cast shake-up
The character of Duke was recently brought to life by Barry Keoghan in the feature film Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man. However, Bell will now permanently step into the shoes of the Shelby heir for the duration of this new television programme.
Charlie Heaton was announced as the series co-lead. The duo will be supported by a cast featuring Jessica Brown Findlay, Lashana Lynch and Lucy Karczewski.
1950s Birmingham: A ruthless new chapter
The narrative jumps forward ten years after the story of the recent film, plunging viewers into the gritty landscape of 1950s Birmingham. Against the backdrop of a post-war metropolis teeming with fresh possibilities and deadly threats, a new generation of the Shelby crime syndicate begins to take shape.
As per the plot summary, the story focuses on aged and decidedly more ruthless Duke as he attempts to survive a harsh scramble for control within a rapidly transforming society.
Production and broadcast details
Steven Knight, the creator of the series, is currently overseeing filming on location in Birmingham. The ambitious project is slated to have two seasons, with each comprising six episodes.
The seeries are co-produced by Garrison Drama and Banijay UK’s Kudos. Once completed, the series will be broadcast across both Netflix and the BBC. Knight expressed his sheer enthusiasm for steering the sprawling story into a brand-new historical period and teased that further casting reveals will follow as production progresses.
Netflix has also released an advertisement for the promotional campaign of the series with Birmingham City Football Club where we see the cast interacting with the audience and the players wearing promotional t-shirts to a match.
