Cameras are rolling on Legacy of Spies, the BBC and MGM+’s return to the secret world of revered Cold War spymaster Michael Smiley, directed by John le Carre, and a wealth of names have been added to the cast.
Based on le Carré’s international bestseller The Spy and based on the 2017 novel A Legacy of Spies, this eight-part thriller is showrun and written by Stephen Cornwell (A Message from the King, Most Wanted) and Clarissa Ingram. Michael Lennox (“Say Nothing,” “Crystal Lake”) will serve as executive producer and lead director.
The series is led by Matthew Macfadyen as Smiley, and previously announced stars include Charlie Hunnam as maverick field agent Alec Remus, Daniel Brühl as meticulous Stasi intelligence strategist Josef Fiedler, and Devrim Ringnow-Islamor as Doris Quinz, a young and dynamic East German woman providing vital information from the heart of East German operations.
Agnes O’Casey (Black Doves, Lies We Tell) stars as Liz Gold, the idealistic young woman at the center of the story. O’Casey will reprise his role in the stage version, which recently completed its run in the West End. In another key role, Felix Kammerer (All Quiet on the Western Front, Frankenstein) plays Hans-Dieter Mundt, a brutal, unpredictable and psychotic Stasi enforcer.
Dan Stevens (Zero Day, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire) stars as Bill Haydon, a genius and mysterious circus informant, Jake Dunn (A Girl’s Mood, Nell), Smy Starring Sapphire Oakley-Green (The Bluff) as Peter Gillam, Lee’s trusted lieutenant, and Molly Gibson, a dynamic new agent and one of Remus’ most trusted lieutenants. Ariyon Bakare (Mr. Rubberman, His Dark Materials) plays Sai Afron, a veteran U.S. intelligence officer. From within the East German regime, Saskia Rozendaal (Going to the Dogs, El Desiero/The Meltdown) plays Lotte Gump, Doris’ brave and protective sister, and Patrick Güldenberg (Die Ibiza) plays Lotte Gump, Doris’ brave and protective sister. Affäre, Tortort: Donuts) is played by Dr. Karl Riemeck, a principled doctor drawn into the world of espionage, played by Volker Bruch (Babylon Berlin, Generation War). Emmanuel Rapp, a senior Stasi official.
Legacy of Spies is produced by The Ink Factory (Pigeon Tunnel, The Night Manager) in association with Amusement Park Films (All Quiet on the Western Front), in association with 127 Wall Productions and Paramount Television Studios. The series will premiere on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the UK and MGM+ in the US. Fifth Season is responsible for worldwide sales.
“It was an honor to work with Stephen to bring this extraordinary story to life. le Carré’s work defined the spy genre, but it also subverted and turned it on its head. His work was bold, stripped-down, lived in the present, and revealed the very human, life-and-death stakes behind the plots,” said Lennox. “Legacy of Spies captures that same spirit, telling the story of people making impossible choices at critical moments in history. I couldn’t be more excited to see such a talented cast bring this work to life, while also making this world feel urgent and deeply relevant to modern audiences.”
Stephen and Simon Cornwell added: “The ensemble of talent involved in this production is extraordinary. Both the British and German cast bring an unparalleled depth to the show, and to the realization of the rich canvas of characters that Our Father created in his captivating novel. Michael Lennox As lead director, he brings a combination of great ambition and deep emotional humanity to the story. We are extremely grateful to our partners at the BBC and MGM+ for enabling us to realize our joint vision for the show, and we can’t wait to see it all come to life on screen. ”
In addition to Stephen Cornwell, Graham Yost (Justified, Silo), Simon Cornwell (Pigeon Tunnel, The Night Manager), Michelle Wolkoff, Malte Grunert (All Quiet on the Western Front), Chris Rice, Macfadyen, Hunnam, Lennox and Joe Tsai will serve as executive producers. Suzanne Bier and Mike Leslie will also serve as executive producers. Executive producers for the BBC are Gaynor Holmes and Nick Lambon. Nick Cornwell is Executive Producer of John Le Carre Estate. Sam Costin will serve as co-executive producer and Nancy Bray will produce for Ink Factory.
