Peaky Blinders: How Barry Keoghan Landed the Role of Duke in the Movie
The Shelby family saga continues, but this time on the sizeable screen. marked the release of Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, a film picking up the threads of the acclaimed BBC and Netflix series. The film’s premiere on in Birmingham, England, brought together stars Cillian Murphy, Barry Keoghan, Rebecca Ferguson and Tim Roth, alongside writer Steven Knight, to discuss Tommy Shelby’s return and the challenges of justifying a continuation of the story.
A surprising origin story for Barry Keoghan’s casting as Duke Shelby, Tommy’s estranged son, emerged during recent interviews. Keoghan recounted texting Cillian Murphy on Father’s Day in , a gesture stemming from their previous work together on the film Dunkirk. He received a reply offering him the role. Murphy, still, remembers initiating the contact – a method he also used to bring Tim Roth and Rebecca Ferguson onboard – but playfully conceded that Keoghan’s version is “a better story.”
Keoghan, who previously played a smaller role as Duke in season six of the series, was always Murphy’s first choice. Murphy described Keoghan as a “firecracker,” praising his ability to command attention on screen, his inherent danger and unpredictability, and crucially, his vulnerability – a quality Murphy considers a superpower for an actor. The character, introduced initially with Conrad Khan in the role, requires a certain edge, and Keoghan clearly delivers.
The film is set a few years after the events of the series finale, placing Tommy Shelby amidst the chaos of World War II in . He’s retreated to his country mansion, grappling with isolation and haunted by visions of those he’s lost, whereas attempting to write his memoirs. However, his solitude is disrupted by the machinations of his son, Duke, who has taken control of the Peaky Blinders gang and become embroiled in a dangerous scheme involving counterfeit money and a British Nazi agent, John Beckett, played by Tim Roth.
Keoghan, a self-proclaimed “big Peaky fan,” acknowledged the pressure of stepping into such a beloved universe, noting his dog is even named Duke. He expressed gratitude for the warm welcome from the cast and crew, and the joy of working alongside Murphy. His first day on set involved a physically demanding scene – a fight in a pigsty – which he embraced with characteristic intensity, even to the point of injuring his knuckles. Murphy recalled the scene with a shudder, remembering the less-than-glamorous reality of filming in actual pig excrement.
The success of Peaky Blinders, which began as a cult favorite drawing just over 2 million viewers before peaking at nearly triple that, is attributed to a combination of factors. Knight highlighted the importance of word-of-mouth, a delayed promotional push from the BBC, and Netflix’s acquisition of the series for global distribution in , making it available in 190 countries. Murphy emphasized that the show’s success was “entirely fan-generated.”
Beyond viewership, the show has had a tangible cultural impact. The Arthur Shelby name saw a surge in popularity, becoming the fourth most popular boy’s name in . Ada, the name of Tommy’s sister, entered the top 100 for girls in and has since climbed to 56th place. The show’s distinctive aesthetic, particularly the peaked flat caps, has inspired fashion trends and even real-world groups, such as a Ukrainian national guard unit who adopted the headwear. The show’s influence has even reached as far as Afghanistan, where four men were briefly detained by the Taliban for dressing as characters from the series, deemed to be against Afghan culture.
Knight’s journey to bring the story to the screen wasn’t without its challenges. He recounted a story of repeatedly writing scenes set in the snow, only to have them downgraded to rain due to budgetary concerns. Filming at Calke Abbey, a National Trust property, presented its own set of restrictions, requiring careful navigation of the site’s Grade-1 listed status. Murphy described the location as “fucking freezing.”
The decision to revisit the world of Peaky Blinders wasn’t taken lightly. Murphy stated the film “needed to justify its existence,” and that he wouldn’t have returned unless the story warranted it. Knight, who is also currently working on the next James Bond film (though he remained tight-lipped about details), always envisioned the saga concluding on the big screen. While The Immortal Man may serve as a final chapter for Tommy Shelby’s story, the franchise is set to continue with a latest 1950s-set spin-off series currently in production.
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is currently in cinemas and will be available on Netflix from .