The gritty, bare-knuckle world of A Thousand Blows is back. Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally will drop the six-episode second season of Steven Knight’s period drama on January 9, 2026, and the first look is giving major tension vibes.
Returning are Malachi Kirby, Stephen Graham, and Erin Doherty, reprising their roles in this brutal East End story. One year after the explosive first season, Hezekiah Moscow (Kirby) is now “a shadow of the man he once was,” while Sugar Goodson (Graham) has spiraled into alcoholism and estrangement from his family.
Meanwhile, Mary Carr (Doherty) storms back into Wapping with her loyal second, Alice Diamond (Darci Shaw), determined to rebuild the infamous Forty Elephants and reclaim her crown. Old rivals, ghosts of survival, and new alliances make this season darker and more dangerous than ever. Mary even manages to sober up Sugar—because she’s got a bigger plan that could change everything.
The returning ensemble also includes James Nelson-Joyce, Hannah Walters, Nadia Albina, Morgan Hilaire, Jemma Carlton, Caoilfhionn Dunne, Jason Tobin, Susan Lynch, Daniel Mays, Gary Lewis, Aliyah Odoffin, and Robert Glenister. Joining the cast this season are Ned Dennehy as Bull Jeremy and Catherine McCormack as Sophie Lyons.
Knight, known for Peaky Blinders, continues his signature blend of working-class grit, historical accuracy, and moral complexity. He teased a deeper, more personal journey for Hezekiah: “The revenge that he’s talking about is quite unexpected… but it’s rooted deeply in his past and in his character.” Meanwhile, Mary Carr’s arc continues to be inspired by real historical records, bringing a fresh lens to her leadership and cunning.
As always, the fight scenes aren’t just fights—they’re storytelling. Knight explains: “A fight is a conversation… they’re having this conversation with their fists and telling that story.” And this season explores not just revenge and power but identity in the unforgiving underworld of 1880s London, with class tensions reflected in the shift from bare-knuckle to gloved boxing.
Season 2 of A Thousand Blows drops January 9, 2026, exclusively on Disney+. If you haven’t caught Season 1 yet, now’s the time—it’s streaming now.