Matthew Macfadyen, Charlie Hunnam and Daniel Brühl are headlining a new John le Carré series for the BBC and MGM+.
Written by Stephen Cornwell (Message from the King) with Clarissa Ingram, Legacy of Spies adapts the author’s best-selling novel, The Spy Who Came In From The Cold and will also draw on additional material from A Legacy of Spies.
The eight-part drama for BBC One in the U.K. and MGM+ in the U.S. is anchored by two-time Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning Macfadyen (Succession) as master-spy George Smiley, Monster star Hunnam as British intelligence officer Alec Leamas, Rush actor Brühl as East German spy Jens Fielder and Devrim Lingnau Islamoğlu (The Empress) as Doris Quinz a.k.a. Agent Tulip.
The show will follow George Smiley’s overarching quest for his nemesis, Russian master-spy Karla, through the Cold War. Legacy of Spies will be set across the U.K., and what was, in the time period of the story, East and West Germany and Czechoslovakia.
The Spy Who Came In From The Cold dominated the world’s best-seller lists when it was first published in 1963 and remains one of le Carré’s best-selling novels today.
Simon Cornwell and Stephen Cornwell, founders and co-CEOs at The Ink Factory, said the project is the “most ambitious and all-encompassing adaptation of le Carré’s work to date.”
“To have Matthew embody this operational mastermind, a man both vulnerable and dangerous, alongside the brilliant talent of Charlie and Devrim, is a great coup,” they continued. “We are thrilled the series has found its home with the BBC and MGM+ and to be collaborating alongside Malte and the Amusement Park team, while having Graham’s wisdom, vision and deft touch helping us guide this project — bringing his own mastery of the genre alongside that of le Carré’s.”
Director of BBC drama Lindsay Salt added: “Legacy of Spies is a dream le Carré project adapted by the brilliant Stephen Cornwell and Clarissa Ingram. We are thrilled to have The Ink Factory — who are the ultimate experts in this genre — making this series which stars some of our best actors; Matthew, Charlie, Devrim and Daniel. BBC viewers are in for a very special treat!”
Michael Wright, global head of MGM+, said: “The opportunity to partner with The Ink Factory, the BBC, and this remarkable creative team to tell the story of John le Carré’s legendary George Smiley is truly a dream project. MGM+ is building its brand around classic storytelling for a modern audience, and Legacy of Spies is the embodiment of that, with a brilliant cast led by Matthew Macfadyen and Charlie Hunnam. We’re thrilled to bring it to the MGM+ audience.”
Legacy of Spies is from The Ink Factory in co-production with Amusement Park Film (All Quiet on the Western Front) and in association with 127 Wall Productions and Paramount Television Studios. Executive producersare Stephen Cornwell (also showrunner), Graham Yost, Simon Cornwell, Michele Wolkoff, Malte Grunert, Chris Rice, Steve Clark-Hall, Matthew Macfadyen, Charlie Hunnam, Joe Tsai and Arthur Wang.
Susanne Bier and Mike Lesslie are also executive producers. The executive producers for the BBC are Gaynor Holmes and Nick Lambon. Nick Cornwell is executive producer for the John le Carré estate. Sam Costin will serve as co-executive producer for The Ink Factory. Fifth Season is handling global sales.
