The BBC and Netflix have released a first-look image of Charlie Heaton as Charles Shelby in the next chapter of Peaky Blinders. The new series is currently filming in Birmingham and will follow a new generation of Shelbys more than a decade after the events of the Second World War.
Heaton’s Charles Shelby is the son of Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) and has spent years distancing himself from both the Peaky Blinders gang and the infamous Shelby lifestyle. According to the official synopsis, Charles is attempting to embrace a normal life after fighting in a violent war, much of it behind enemy lines. However, his efforts to leave the past behind become complicated when he crosses paths once again with his half-brother Duke Shelby, played by Jamie Bell.
Set around a decade after World War Two, the series will explore a rapidly changing Birmingham as the city rebuilds and new opportunities emerge alongside fresh dangers. The BBC describes the new era as a brutal struggle for power in a city filled with both promise and jeopardy.
Alongside Heaton and Bell, the cast includes Jessica Brown Findlay, Lashana Lynch and newcomer Lucy Karczewski, although details about their characters remain under wraps.
The six-part drama is written and created by Steven Knight and produced by Kudos and Garrison Drama. It follows the success of Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, which became Netflix’s number one film globally for two consecutive weeks following its release.
For CultureCues, Charlie Heaton feels like a perfect fit for this next chapter of Peaky Blinders. Charles Shelby’s story already has plenty to work with, from his break with the family to the question of whether he can ever really escape the Shelby name. Add Jamie Bell as Duke, a post-war Birmingham setting and Steven Knight back at the helm, and we are very much looking forward to seeing where this goes.
The new Peaky Blinders series will premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK, with Netflix streaming the series internationally. A release date has not yet been announced.
Nikki Murray is a UK-based writer, screenwriter and founder & editor of CultureCues, covering film, television, music and pop culture. Her work focuses on storytelling and the moments shaping modern entertainment.