Eddie Redmayne Cast as Lead in The Day of the Jackal Series

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Eddie Redmayne (The Good Nurse, Trial of the Chicago Seven, The Theory of Everything) has been cast in the lead role of Sky and Peacock’s series adaptation of The Day of the Jackal.

Based on Frederick Forsyth’s thriller novel and its subsequent 1973 film adaptation, which both saw a professional assassin hired to take out French President Charles de Gaulle, the new series offers a modern reimagining and delves deeper into the central antihero.

Irish screenwriter and novelist Ronan Bennett (Top Boy, Gunpowder, Face, Public Enemies) has signed on as writer and showrunner, and Brian Kirk (Game of Thrones, Luther, Boardwalk Empire, 21 Bridges) is set to direct.

The Day of the Jackal is being produced by Carnival Films (Downton Abbey, The Last Kingdom), part of Universal International Studios. It was commissioned by Sky Studios and Peacock.

Executive producers are Redmayne; Gareth Neame and Nigel Marchant for Carnival Films; and Sam Hoyle for Sky Studios. Author Forsyth is serving as consulting producer, with Christopher Hall as producer.

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 is handling international sales.

“We are excited to bring to life Ronan Bennett’s reimagining 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 caliber as our Jackal,” Neame, CEO and executive producer at Carnival Films, said. “Paired with Ronan’s screenplay and Brian Kirk’s direction, this is a first-class creative team.”