The BBC has unveiled a first look at the 'new era' of Peaky Blinders, with Charlie Heaton appearing as Charles Shelby for the first time. The 32-year-old British actor, known for his role as American teen Jonathan Byers in Netflix's Stranger Things, has transformed with a short haircut and a tailored suit, worlds away from his previous character.
First Look at Charles Shelby
The teaser image, currently in production for BBC One and iPlayer, shows Heaton looking tense as he stares down the camera lens. He will play Charles Shelby, the son of Cillian Murphy's Thomas Shelby and his first love, Grace Burgess, and the half-brother of Duke Shelby, who featured heavily in the Peaky Blinders film, The Immortal Man.
The series, filmed in Birmingham and created by Steven Knight, will see Charles take centre stage. The BBC teased: 'Having fought a violent war, much of it behind enemy lines, Charles Shelby is now embracing normality. He hasn't seen his half-brother Duke – played by Jamie Bell – in years. Charles severed all ties to the Peaky Blinders gang and the hedonistic Shelby lifestyle. But can you ever escape your own blood?'
New Era Setting
In this new era of Peaky Blinders, set a decade after World War Two, the race to rebuild Birmingham becomes a brutal contest of mythical dimensions. The BBC describes it as 'a city of unprecedented opportunity and jeopardy.' The series will also feature Jessica Brown Findlay (Silo), Lashana Lynch (The Day of the Jackal), and Lucy Karczewski (Stereophonic). While their roles and release date remain unconfirmed, it will premiere on both BBC One and Netflix.
Last month, it was confirmed that Stranger Things star Charlie would join Jamie Bell in the series, with Bell acting opposite him as step-brother Duke. Bell, 40, shot to fame at age 14 with his BAFTA-winning role in Billy Elliot. He has since appeared in King Kong, Jumper, The Adventures of Tintin, Rocketman, and All of Us Strangers.
Cast and Production Details
Steven Knight said: '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. There are more exciting cast announcements to come, and Peaky is on the road again.'
The synopsis reads: '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: older, wiser, more ambitious, and most certainly more dangerous.'
Jamie Bell takes on the role of Duke after Barry Keoghan played Tommy's son in The Immortal Man. Two new series have been commissioned, and filming has already started, with Lashana Lynch seen in Birmingham last month. Peaky Blinders originally ran from 2013 to 2022, following the Shelby family from 1919 through the 1930s. Series six ended in the 1930s, and the film is set during World War Two, so the upcoming series will jump forward several years. The new episodes are expected to pick up in the 1950s, a time of violent Teddy Boy gangs and the rise of the infamous Kray twins in London. Peaky Blinders is available to stream on BBC iPlayer and Netflix.
