Peaky Blinders' The Immortal Man: Who is Tommy Shelby's son Duke and why was the original actor replaced in the Netflix film?
Actor Conrad Khan played the character in the TV series
Peaky Blinders is back with iconic character Tommy Shelby starring in a feature-length film for the first time – and his son Duke will also take centre stage.
The film Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is released in select cinemas on Friday, March 06, 2026, and on Netflix on Friday, March 20, 2026.
Of course, Academy Award-winner Cillian Murphy returns as Tommy Shelby in the epic feature film directed by Tom Harper and written by Steven Knight.
And the trailer teases a turbulent reunion between father and son. But who is Tommy Shelby’s son Erasmus Duke Shelby? And why was the original actor replaced? Here’s everything you need to know as the award-winning Steven Knight series gets his big screen debut.
Who is Tommy Shelby’s son Duke in Peaky Blinders?
In Peaky Blinders series 6, Tommy Shelby introduced his illegitimate son Erasmus ‘Duke’ Shelby to the rest of his family. Duke – the boy with “the hazel eyes” – was the son of Tommy Shelby from a one-night stand 20 years ago. He appeared for the first time very briefly in episode 4, and also starred in episode 5 and 6.
Erasmus ‘Duke’ Shelby is the illegitimate firstborn son of Thomas Shelby and a Romani woman called Zelda. That makes him the half-brother of Charles and Ruby Shelby (more on that below).
Zelda conceived Tommy Shelby’s child Duke “under a hazel tree in May 1914” before Tommy left for World War I. Zelda raised Duke on her own travelling the roads until she died. Duke was Subsequently taken in by his aunt Esme Shelby-Lee until 1934.
Duke was taken to Birmingham and joined the Peaky Blinders. Despite Duke’s initial reluctance to be part of the gangster world, he eventually became a full-fledged member of the Shelby family. He subsequently helped them in their war against Michael Gray, and the IRA faction led by Laura McKee, killing the traitor Billy Grade in the process.
After Thomas’ disappearance, Duke inherited the leadership of the Peaky Blinders.
Who are Tommy Shelby’s children?
Tommy Shelby has three children with three different women. His eldest Charles is his son with the love of his life Grace Burgess, an undercover agent for the Birmingham police.
After her tragic death, Tommy married former prostitute Lizzie Stark, with whom he had his daughter Ruby. Ruby died in series 6 of consumption (tuberculosis). She was just seven years old.
Duke is Tommy’s eldest son. He was born before WW1 after Tommy’s fling with a Romani woman called Zelda.
What is Duke Shelby’s role in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man?
Peaky Blinders fans were given a teaser about Duke Shelby’s role in the spine-tingling trailer. In fact, it looks like Tommy only returns because his estranged “gypsy” son has run amok.
Rebecca Ferguson’s new character Kaulo says: “Tommy, you live in a house haunted with ghosts. Of people who died because of you. You abandoned your kingdom, and you abandoned your son.”
Tommy’s sister Ada can also be heard saying: “Your Gypsy son is running the Peaky Blinders like it’s 1919 all over again.” In response, Tommy says: “I can’t help him, because I’m not that man anymore.”
But really, Tommy Shelby will always be THAT man. The trailer subsequently sees him return to Birmingham to confront his son. Seeing Tommy strut back in to The Garrison Pub is enough to make any Peaky Blinders fans weak at the knees.
Fans also see Duke sneering: “The world don’t give a [bleep] about me. And I don’t give a [bleep] about the world.”
Sounds like it will be a battle for top dog for the two Shelbys. The film is set in 1940, six years after the events that happened at the end of series 6.
A synopsis tells us: “Amidst the chaos of WWII, Tommy Shelby is driven back from a self-imposed exile to face his most destructive reckoning yet. With the future of the family and the country at stake, Tommy must face his own demons, and choose whether to confront his legacy, or burn it to the ground. By order of the Peaky Blinders…”
Who played Tommy’s son Duke Shelby in Peaky Blinders the series?
In Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, Saltburn’s Barry Keoghan takes on the role of Erasmus Duke Shelby. And, we’ve got to admit, he’s perfect for the role.
However, in the 2020 series 6 of Peaky Blinders, the same character was portrayed by another actor called Conrad Khan. At the time, Conrad was an up-and-coming young actor who was very much on the trajectory to global stardom.
The London-born actor had been performing since he was a child, and even appeared opposite Hollywood heavyweight Chris Hemsworth when he was just a teenager. In his first few years of acting, Conrad had already worked on two huge movies, as well as securing the coveted role in BBC One hit Peaky Blinders. BAFTA even nominated Conrad for an award in 2021.
Film fans probably know Conrad Khan best for his highly acclaimed role as Tyler, in Henry Blake’s brutal social-realist 2020 feature film, County Lines. He played the film’s protagonist Tyler, an introverted 14-year-old whose father is absent and whose mother struggles financially and emotionally. Tyler has no prospect of escape – and is easy prey for drug dealer Simon to groom. Conrad was actually 18 when he portrayed Tyler.
The actor’s first ever film role was in 2015 when he played Oskar in the TV movie Virtuoso, Alan Ball’s Pilot for HBO. A year later, Conrad played Eric (a younger version of Chris Hemsworth’s character) in The Huntsman: Winter’s War. Conrad went on to play Dibbs in the 2019 Black Mirror episode entitled Smithereens – quite possibly our favourite episode of the series ever.
Why was the original actor Conrad Khan replaced?
Although the team behind Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man have not formally commented on the recast, reports suggest that they wanted someone with more star power. The general consensus is that actor Barry Keoghan would appeal to a wider audience.
Conrad’s age might have played a part, too. In real life, Conrad Khan is now around 26 years of age. Meanwhile, Barry is 33 – and looks older.
Talking about taking on the role, Barry Keoghan told Empire: “I look more Cillian Murphy than Cillian looks Cillian Murphy.”
The actor told the publication that he had long been interested in joining the series, but had never fitted any of the previous character descriptions.
Keoghan added that Duke is “troubled” when we meet him, and “up to no good”. However, he said that as a father himself, he related to Duke’s “cry for his father and this cry for the figure that he needs to be there”.
Barry Keoghan and Cillian Murphy previously worked together on the film Dunkirk.
Peaky Blinders will return with TWO new series
Peaky Blinders will be back with a "blood-soaked" bang following the announcement of TWO new series. The hugely popular and gritty Birmingham-based drama is making its TV comeback, but this time it will be set in a different era.
With that comes an entirely new generation of the Shelby family – and viewers have been promised the continuation of the gangster saga will be "one hell of a ride".
Series 6 ended in 2022, and 2026 welcomes Tommy Shelby's first ever feature film. Series 7 and 8 will be set in an entirely different decade – 1953, to be precise. Birmingham is rising from the ashes of the war and the future is beginning to look brighter. Thanks to the concrete and steel industry, the city is undergoing an impressive post-war reconstruction.
The BBC says in a synopsis of the plot: "Britain, 1953. After being heavily bombed in WWII, Birmingham is building a better future out of concrete and steel.
"In a new era of Steven Knight's Peaky Blinders, the race to own Birmingham's massive reconstruction project becomes a brutal contest of mythical dimensions. This is a city of unprecedented opportunity and danger: with the Shelby family right at its blood-soaked heart."
