First Look at Charlie Heaton as Charles Shelby in 'Peaky Blinders' Sequel

Summary

• Netflix and the BBC have officially unveiled the first look at Charlie Heaton as Charles Shelby in the upcoming, untitled Peaky Blinders sequel series

• The Stranger Things actor will play the sophisticated son of Tommy Shelby alongside Jamie Bell, who has been cast as his older half-brother, Duke Shelby (taking over the role from Barry Keoghan)

• The new six-episode series is set in the 1950s, roughly a decade after the events of World War II and the recently released Peaky Blinders spin-off film, The Immortal Man

The Peaky Blinders universe is officially passing the torch to a new generation. Following the epic conclusion of Cillian Murphy’s run as patriarch Tommy Shelby in the recent feature film The Immortal Man, the franchise is expanding with a brand-new, currently untitled, sequel series. Giving fans their first taste of the bloody next chapter, Netflix and the BBC have released the official first look at Stranger Things standout Charlie Heaton, who is stepping into the highly anticipated role of an adult Charles Shelby.

Set in a rapidly rebuilding Birmingham in the 1950s—a full decade after the horrors of World War II—the upcoming six-episode series pivots away from the original crime boss to focus entirely on Tommy’s sons. The newly released imagery shows Heaton looking razor-sharp in character, trading his signature shaggy look for a suave, era-accurate suit. He will be starring opposite Rocketman actor Jamie Bell, who was recently announced to be taking over the role of his older, rougher half-brother, Duke Shelby, from Barry Keoghan.

According to the official logline, Charles is desperately trying to outrun his family’s violent, hedonistic legacy. “Having fought a violent war, much of it behind enemy lines, Charles Shelby is now embracing normality,” the Netflix synopsis reads. “He hasn’t seen his half-brother Duke in years. Charles severed all ties to the Peaky Blinders gang and the hedonistic Shelby lifestyle. But can you ever escape your own blood?” This tension between a quiet, honest life and the inevitable pull of the Shelby underworld promises to be the driving narrative force of the new drama.

Written and created by franchise mastermind Steven Knight, the sequel series is currently in active production in Birmingham. Alongside Heaton and Bell, the sprawling ensemble cast boasts some serious acting firepower, including Jessica Brown Findlay (Silo), Lashana Lynch (The Day of the Jackal), and newcomer Lucy Karczewski.

While the exact plot details and the nature of the supporting roles are being kept strictly under wraps, the confirmed cast list and the gritty 1950s setting have already set expectations incredibly high. An official release date for the Peaky Blinders sequel series has not yet been announced, but it will eventually premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the U.K., with a global streaming release on Netflix to follow.