NEW BRITISH SPY DRAMA WITH MATTHEW MACFADYEN IN THE WORKS
Matthew Macfadyen is set to star in a new British spy drama, based on the works of John le Carré.
According to Variety, Legacy of Spies will follow George Smiley - a well-known character who has featured in many of le Carré's spy novels - with Succession star Macfadyen reportedly playing the lead role.
The TV series will take inspiration from a range of the author's published and unpublished work, including The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The Honourable Schoolboy.
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The series is currently being developed by The Ink Factory, which was founded by le Carré's sons Stephen and Simon Cornwell. Stephen Cornwell has written the initial scripts alongside Clarissa Ingram, with Graham Yost onboard as an executive producer.
Macfadyen will have some big shoes to fill in his new role, given the character's extensive history across both TV and cinema.
George Smiley has previously been portrayed onscreen by Gary Oldman in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011), Rupert Davies in The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965), Denholm Elliott in A Murder of Quality (1991), and Alec Guinness in both Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979) and Smiley's People (1982). #
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The Ink Factory has produced multiple adaptations of le Carré's work, including the British spy thriller The Night Manager, which starred Tom Hiddleston in the lead role of Jonathan Pine.
The hit series aired its first season in 2016, with Hugh Laurie, Olivia Colman, Elizabeth Debicki, Tom Hollander and David Harewood appearing in the all-star cast. It received huge global success, winning various awards including multiple Golden Globes and Emmys.
In 2024, The Night Manager was renewed for a second and third season. The show will pick up eight years after the events of the season 1 finale, with Hiddleston set to reprise his role.
The Night Manager seasons 2 and 3 will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK, and Prime Video worldwide.
2025-03-14T22:02:09Z