A full trailer for the upcoming second season of acclaimed drama A Thousand Blows has been released, with the Stephen Graham-starring hit set to drop its new episodes in the New Year. Erin Doherty and Malachi Kirby also star in the show, which is the brainchild of Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight.
As previously announced, the six-episode second series will pick up one year after the first, as boxer Hezekiah (Kirby) is "a shadow of the man he once was", while self-appointed boxing boss Sugar (Graham) is "estranged from his family and drinking himself to death".
An official synopsis reads: "Just as Wapping is about to sigh its last breath, Mary Carr bursts back into town with her loyal second, Alice Diamond, to reassemble her gang and reclaim her crown.
"As always, Mary has a plan; one which will involve all those she holds dearest. And this time it's riskier than ever."
Emmy award winner Doherty plays Mary, with Darci Shaw as Alice. Ned Dennehy and Catherine McCormack have also joined the team for the new series.
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In the trailer, Mary says: "I'm bringing the Forty Elephants back together again. We will no longer work for a King on the other side of the river. Sugar, I need you to put us back on top."
The Forty Elephants (led by Mary) was an all-female crime syndicate that specialised in shoplifting and clashed with the world of illegal bare-knuckle boxing in 1880s London.
"It's the dawn of a new era," she promises at the trailer's climax.
Kirby's Hezekiah, meanwhile, is chasing revenge for the death of his brother, and is seen coming up against some menacing adversaries.
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The show has been a big hit thus far, with an 88% score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. The consensus reads: "Punching up an intriguing era of British history with creator Steven Knight's flare for genre grit, A Thousand Blows is riveting entertainment that leaves a bruise."
Viewer feedback on IMDb is also positive, with a score of 7.3. One reviewer posted: "ABSOLUTELY EPIC. Just like Peaky Blinders this is so well written. Also like Peaky Blinders once you start watching it you can't stop."
Another praised it as "a gritty, authentic period drama with Stephen Graham at his best".
A Thousand Blows season 2 will premiere on 9 January, 2026 on Disney+. The first season is available to stream now on Disney+.
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Shaun is an Evening News Editor at Digital Spy, with over a decade of experience reporting on all things pop culture. He has written for outlets including Metro, Attitude, Huffington Post, The Mirror, Yahoo!, Pink News and Express Online, specialising in TV, movies, soaps, music and LGBTQ+ issues. He is also a BAFTA Rocliffe-winning scriptwriter, having written episodes of the soap Hollyoaks, the official Steps musical Here & Now and multiple Offie Award-nominated plays. He studied English Literature and Drama at the University of East Anglia, and will happily talk at length about Desperate Housewives to anyone who'll listen.
