Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch spy thriller The Day of the Jackal unveils first trailer during Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

Virgin Radio

27 Jul 2024, 11:13

Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch bring a fresh spin to the spy thriller genre in the highly anticipated series The Day of the Jackal.

Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch are taking us on a high-octane ride through the world of espionage in the upcoming series, The Day of the Jackal.

The first trailer for this gritty British drama premiered during the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony on NBC and Peacock, and it’s already got us hooked.

Imagine Eddie Redmayne, Oscar winner for his turn as Stephen Hawking in favourite The Theory of Everything, transforming into a chameleon-like assassin, peeling off elaborate disguises and wielding a sniper rifle with deadly precision.

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Eddie steps into the shoes of the Jackal, the elusive contract killer who makes a living by taking out high-profile targets for hefty sums.

But it’s not all smooth sailing for our lone wolf hitman. Enter Lashana Lynch, the tenacious British intelligence officer who’s hot on his trail.

This thrilling cat-and-mouse chase takes us across Europe, leaving a trail of destruction and suspense that’s sure to keep us on the edge of our seats.

Lashana is bringing her A-game, and we can’t wait to see these two go head-to-head in a battle of wits and wills.

Joining the stellar cast are Chukwudi Iwuji from Guardians of the Galaxy, the ever-regal Charles Dance of Game of Thrones fame, and the fiery Ursula Corbero from Money Heist.

This powerhouse ensemble promises to deliver performances as explosive as the plot twists.

Adapted from Frederick Forsyth’s 1971 novel, The Day of the Jackal has been reimagined for a contemporary audience, shifting from the '60s setting of the book and the 1973 film to the 2020s.

The 10-part series, produced by Sky and Peacock, is brought to life by the talented Ronan Bennett, the mastermind behind the critically acclaimed Top Boy.

With Brian Kirk, known for his work on Game of Thrones and Luther, directing, we’re in for a visual and narrative treat.

Carnival Films, the production company behind the series, is pulling out all the stops. Eddie Redmayne isn’t just front and center on screen; he’s also an executive producer.

Lashana Lynch steps up as a co-executive producer, while Frederick Forsyth himself serves as a consulting producer.

Gareth Neame and Nigel Marchant, the executive producers who gave us Downton Abbey, shared their excitement with GQ about this new venture.

Gareth reminisced: “We both loved the book, and we saw the film when we were kids — I’ve seen the film many times through my life, and always really respected it.”

The duo saw an opportunity to breathe new life into this iconic story, expanding it across episodic TV to explore it in greater depth.

“It’s such an iconic, gripping story, that to revisit that in a contemporary context, with all the benefits of a multi-episodic show … we thought that would be really interesting to take this much-respected IP and develop it this way,” Gareth explained.

Nigel added: “I think that [this] kind of title is in so many people’s consciousness … And then yeah, what’s the benefit of telling this with a bigger canvas?”

When asked why they set the series in the 2020s instead of sticking to the '60s, Gareth summed it up perfectly: “If we’d stayed in the past, why do it? You can’t better the film.”

The Day of the Jackal will premiere on Sky and streaming service NOW in the UK (and Peacock in the US) on November 7, 2024.