Eddie Redmayne has been cast in Sky’s previously announced “contemporary reimagining” of Frederick Forsyth’s celebrated novel, The Day of the Jackal.
First published in 1971, the novel followed an international hunt for a professional killer known only as the “Jackal” who’d been hired to assassinate French President Charles de Gaulle.
The book has remained a constant bestseller and, in 1973, was adapted into an award-winning film starring Edward Fox. A 1997 contemporary adaptation, which had little to do with the novel’s plot, became a box office success despite being widely panned by critics.
Sky describes the new series as “a bold, contemporary reimagining of the beloved and respected novel and film,” adding that it will be “remaining true to the DNA of the original IP” while delving “deeper into the chameleon like ‘anti-hero’ at the heart of the story”.
Viewers are promised “a high octane, cinematic, globetrotting ‘cat and mouse’ thriller, set amidst the turbulent geo-political landscape of our time.”
The series will be produced by Carnival Films, part of Universal Studios, in association with Sky Studios. Irish screenwriter Ronan Bennett is writing the series while the award-winning Brian Kirk will serve as lead director.
The series will be available on Peacock, the streaming service owned by Sky’s US parent company Comcast, in the US and on Sky in the UK, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria.