Eddie Redmayne to Lead ‘Day of the Jackal’ TV Adaptation for Sky, Peacock

Eddie Redmayne is set to look through the crosshairs of one of the most famous fictional assassins in the upcoming TV adaptation of The Day of the Jackal.

The Oscar, Tony and BAFTA winner will play the Jackal himself in the Sky/Peacock original series, based on the Frederick Forsyth thriller and subsequent award-winning 1973 film adaptation of the same name from Universal Pictures. Redmayne — who recently landed BAFTA, SAG and Golden Globe nomination for The Good Nurse — will also executive produce.

The Day of the Jackal is being billed by the producers as a “bold, modern reimagining of the beloved and respected novel and film.” While staying true to the DNA of the original story, which was set in 1962 and based on attempts to assassinate French president Charles de Gaulle, this contemporary drama 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.

Irish screenwriter and novelist Ronan Bennett, creator and writer of the critically acclaimed global hit Top Boy, is attached as writer and showrunner. Bennett’s writing credits also include the BBC One series Gunpowder starring Kit Harrington, as well as screenplays for films such as Face and Public Enemies starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale. Internationally award-winning Director Brian Kirk, whose television credits include Game of Thrones, Luther, Boardwalk Empire and feature film 21 Bridges is set to direct the series. 

The Day of the Jackal will be produced by Downton Abbey and The Last Kingdom producers Carnival Films, which is part of Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group and was commissioned by Sky Studios and Peacock. 

“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 Gareth Neame, CEO and executive producer at Carnival Films. “Paired with Ronan’s screenplay and Brian Kirk’s direction, this is a first-class creative team.”

Production on the series will commence this year. Neame and Nigel Marchant are executive producers for Carnival Films. Forsyth will serve as consulting Producer and Christopher Hall is producer. Sam Hoyle is Executive Producer for Sky Studios. 

The series will be available on Peacock in the U.S. and on Sky in the U.K., Ireland, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. NBCUniversal Global Distribution will handle international sales of the series.