Jamie Bell replaces Barry Keoghan in Netflix’s upcoming 'Peaky Blinders' series

Published 04/03/2026, 2:30 AM CDT

From a small street gang to a global crime and political force across six seasons between 2013 and 2022, Peaky Blinders has long stood as the stronghold of the Shelby family legacy. However, with the growing buzz around the recently released The Immortal Man and its expanding universe, it is not just the return of the story that is turning heads, but the recasting of Tommy Shelby’s eldest son, Duke Shelby, originally played by Barry Keoghan, for the upcoming sequel series that is drawing the most attention.

But it seems that Keoghan's legacy as Duke ends with the film, as the Peaky-verse begins to reshape itself once again, this time without Tommy Shelby.

Jamie Bell replaces Barry Keoghan as Duke Shelby in new Peaky Blinders series

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Following the recent release of Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man in March 2026, creator Steven Knight seems far from done with the mean streets of Birmingham. Knight appears to be treading those cobblestones once again, this time for a whole new generation of Peaky Blinders. As shared by Netflix, he is set to take the story into a new era, moving it to post-war Birmingham in the early 1950s, while introducing a fresh lineup led by Jamie Bell and not Barry Keoghan, who takes on the role of Tommy Shelby’s oldest son, Duke, alongside Charlie Heaton.

“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 Charlie Heaton also leading the cast," Netflix posted stating Knight's statement.

Set after the events of the World War II–era film Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, the new Peaky Blinders sequel will unfold across two six-episode seasons, continuing the story beyond Season 6, which concluded in 2022. Rooted once again in Birmingham, creator Steven Knight shared that the series will capture a city rising from the ashes of the Birmingham Blitz, with a new generation of Shelbys now taking control, promising what he describes as “a hell of a ride.”

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With fresh updates around the Peaky Blinders sequel and a new cast stepping in, fans are already growing curious about what’s really unfolding behind this new chapter of the Shelby story.

Everything we know about the upcoming Peaky Blinders sequel series

Set a decade after World War II, the new era of Peaky Blinders sees a rebuilding Birmingham turn into a brutal contest of power and ambition. At the centre of it all is Duke Shelby, played by Jamie Bell, older, sharper, and far more dangerous, as he steps into a city still marked by war, carrying forward the Shelby legacy with full force. Joining him is a strong ensemble led by Charlie Heaton, alongside Jessica Brown Findlay, Lashana Lynch, and Lucy Karczewski in her television debut.

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However, it is not only the cast driving this sequel forward, but also the creative force behind it, with creator Steven Knight returning alongside production by Kudos and Garrison Drama in association with the BBC, shaping a new chapter centred on the next generation of the Shelby family. Meanwhile, as fans wait for the sequel to fight its way onto screens, all six seasons of the original series, along with Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, are available to stream on Netflix right now.

And as the new Duke Shelby has already made his first impression, it feels like the upcoming Peaky empire is all set to enter a sharper, more dangerous era than ever before.

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Are you excited to see Jamie Bell take over as Duke Shelby in the upcoming Peaky Blinders sequel? Let us know in the comments.

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Lisa Roy

113 articles

Lisa Roy is an Entertainment Writer at NetflixJunkie, bringing Hollywood’s biggest moments to life through crisp news and fan-focused feature stories. With a Master’s in English Literature and over four years of experience across national and international domains , she is known for an eye for stories that fans instantly connect with. While she enjoys covering real-world gossip, she is deeply drawn to fictional universes of wizardry and witches.

Edited By: Itti Mahajan

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