The BBC has unveiled a first look at Matthew Macfadyen as iconic spymaster George Smiley in the upcoming drama, Legacy of Spies.
The eight-part series is adapted from John le Carré's 1963 bestseller The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, a spy novel set against the backdrop of the Cold War, and its 2017 follow-up A Legacy Of Spies.
© BBC/Ink Factory/Des WillieMatthew, known for his roles in Succession and Pride & Prejudice, sports Smiley's iconic thick spectacles and coiffed hair while donning a black suit in the first look photos, which also show Charlie Hunnam as his colleague and fellow British intelligence officer Alec Leamas.
The series marks Smiley's long-awaited return to the small-screen, having last been portrayed on television in the 1990s. On the big screen, the character was most recently brought to life by Gary Oldman in 2011's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
I'm definitely keeping my eye out for this one. The series comes from the same production team behind The Night Manager, while Le Carré's son Stephen Cornwell serves as showrunner and Michael Lennox (Derry Girls, Say Nothing) directs – so it's safe to say le Carré's masterpiece is in good hands!
© BBC/Ink Factory/Csaba AknayKeep reading to find out more…
What is Legacy of Spies about?
The series is set in the 1960s against the backdrop of the newly erected Berlin Wall.
The synopsis reads: "When Alec Leamas, a highly experienced Circus field operative, recruits Doris Quinz (Devrim Lingau Islamoğlu), a young and dynamic East German woman, to smuggle high-value Stasi documents into the West, it sets in motion a series of events that threaten to explode in the crucible of Cold War Berlin. Pursuing Leamas and Doris are Josef Fiedler (Daniel Brühl) and Hans-Dieter Mundt (Felix Kammerer), two Stasi operatives whose ferocious desire to shut down the intelligence leak is matched only by their internal rivalry and an iron will to outmatch each other."
© Pip BourdillonIt continues: "Pulled into the action is Liz Gold (Agnes O'Casey), an idealistic young woman whose courage and conviction force Leamas to navigate a world where loyalties fracture and betrayal is inevitable. Behind the scenes, the brilliant and taciturn spymaster George Smiley orchestrates operations while the elusive Soviet mastermind Karla looms in the shadows, setting the stage for a conflict that will define a generation. Personal lives become collateral in a ruthless intelligence war, and as the lines between duty and love begin to blur, every emotion becomes a weapon."
© FilmMagicWho else stars in Legacy of Spies?
The series boasts a star-studded ensemble cast, including Charlotte Ritchie, Hugh Laurie, Daniel Bruhl, Dan Stevens and Agnes O'Casey.
© Getty ImagesDevrim Lingnau Islamoglu, Jake Dunn, Anjana Vasan and Felix Kammerer also star.
When will Legacy of Spies be released?
A release date has yet to be announced. Filming recently wrapped on the show, which consists of 60-minute-long episodes and will premiere on BBC iPlayer and BBC One.
