Eddie Redmayne is heading back into the realm of specialty killers, as he is set to star in the upcoming television adaptation of The Day of the Jackal for Peacock and Sky Studios, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Redmayne will also executive produce the thriller series.
The Day of the Jackal will be based on the 1971 novel of the same name by Frederick Forsyth, which was also adapted in a feature film by Universal in 1973. While specific plot details are slim, the series will follow the Jackal (Redmayne), a professional assassin who is hired by a paramilitary group to eliminate French President Charles de Gaulle in the 1960s. Unlike the original novel, though, the upcoming series will "delve deeper into the chameleon-like 'antihero' at the heart of the story in a 'high octane, cinematic, globetrotting ‘cat and mouse’ thriller,' set amidst the turbulent geo-political landscape of our time," while still staying respectful to the source material. The series is additionally being billed by producers as a "bold, modern reimagining of the beloved and respected novel and film." No other casting for the show has been announced, but production is slated to get underway later in 2023.
The Day of the Jackal, which first recieved a series order at Peacock in November 2022, will be helmed by Irish author Ronan Bennett, who is attached as showrunner and screenwriter. Bennett is staying in his wheelhouse for The Day of the Jackal, as he is best known as the creator of the British crime drama series Top Boy, and has also worked on a number of Hollywood screenplays. The series will be directed by Brian Kirk, known for his work on Game of Thrones and Boardwalk Empire. The show will be executive produced by Gareth Neame for Universal's Carnival Films banner, alongside Nigel Marchant, Sam Hoyle for Sky, Marianne Buckland, and Redmayne. Producers include Christopher Hall and Forsyth.
“We are excited to bring to life Ronan Bennett’s re-imagining of Forsyth’s revered thriller in the complex world in which we live today and are incredibly fortunate to have an actor of Eddie’s calibre as our Jackal,” said Neame. “Paired with Ronan’s screenplay and Brian Kirk’s direction, this is a first-class creative team.”
Eddie Redmayne Will Bring His Award Winning Talent to the Adaptation
Redmayne recently received a Golden Globe and BAFTA nomination for his turn as serial killer Charles Cullen in the Apple TV+ crime drama film The Good Nurse, in which he starred alongside Jessica Chastain. He is also widely known for portraying physicist Stephen Hawking in 2014's The Theory of Everything, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor. He would rack up an additional Academy Award nomination for his role in the critically acclaimed The Danish Girl, and is also recognizable for his role as Newt Scamander in the Harry Potter spinoff film series, Fantastic Beasts.
The Day of the Jackal will be released on Peacock in the U.S. and Sky internationally, though no premiere date has been announced. Check out Collider's interview with Redmayne and Chastain about The Good Nurse below: