Peaky Blinders isn’t over just yet. The Immortal Man is now streaming on Netflix, and with series 7 on the way, fans are already questioning whether Barry Keoghan will return as Duke.
Duke was first introduced towards the end of the sixth series, arriving after Tommy’s violent fallout with a group of Gypsies following a personal tragedy.
Originally played by Conrad Khan, the character was set up as a key figure in the Shelby future. But in the Netflix film, he’s recast with Keoghan taking over the role.
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By the end of Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, Duke’s story takes a dramatic turn. But it may not guarantee him a leading role going forward.
***Warning: spoilers for Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man ahead***
What happens to Duke in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man?
The film ends with Duke becoming the official head of the Shelby business following the deaths of both Ada and Tommy.
He plays a key role in drawing the family into a dangerous Nazi plot to flood the UK with counterfeit money and destabilise the economy. At times, he comes across as reckless and overly ruthless, struggling to earn the trust of Birmingham’s people.
Despite early signs he could become a villain, Duke ultimately makes the right call. With help from Tommy and the rest of the family, he turns against the plan and helps bring it down.
However, the cost is huge. With Tommy fatally wounded, he tells his son, “You’d do it for a horse.”
Duke then kills him in an act of mercy, cementing his place as the new leader of the Peaky Blinders.
So, will Barry Keoghan’s Duke return in series 7?
Right now, nothing has been confirmed about who will appear in series 7. Details are being kept tightly under wraps, although Cillian Murphy is set to return as an executive producer.
What we do know is that the new series will jump forward to 1953. As Steven Knight explained, it will once again focus on Birmingham, showing a city rebuilding after the Blitz.
“The new generation of Shelbys have taken the wheel, and it will be a hell of a ride.”
The official synopsis adds that the fight to control Birmingham’s reconstruction will become “a brutal contest of mythical dimensions”.
Given that The Immortal Man is set in 1940, that’s a 13-year gap for Duke’s story.
Speaking to Variety, Keoghan addressed the challenge of following in Tommy Shelby’s footsteps. “It’s a lot to follow Tommy Shelby.
“It’s a lot and I don’t even want to attempt that to try, but Duke is a different sort of [character].”
That leaves the door open, but it also raises the possibility of another recast or even a shift in focus to a different character.
Peaky Blinders fans predict Duke replacement in series 7
Fans already have their own theories about what’s coming next.
“I think if Duke is to appear in the series at all, he’ll be replaced by another actor,” one fan wrote on Reddit.
“In the film Duke was replaced by Keoghan. Now in the continuation of the series it will be another actor cast to be Duke,” another said. “I can’t see them being able to afford Keoghan for the series,” a third added.
With the new series already filming and Keoghan busy with other projects, many believe he won’t return.
Others think the focus could shift entirely. Instead of Duke, the story may centre on another Shelby, such as Finn or Tommy’s son Charles.
“Honestly I don’t think it’s based on Duke at all. I have a feeling it Charles who comes back from serving to run the family,” one fan speculated.
“It will be Charlie and John’s kids… Ada’s boy will no doubt join as an accountant etc… they won’t pay to have Keoghan in as Duke,” another wrote.
“I think the series will focus a lot on John, Arthur, and Tommy’s children. I think we might even be surprised by Finn’s comeback,” a third predicted.
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is available on Netflix now.