John le Carré’s series “Legacy of Spies” has been picked up by the BBC in the UK and MGM+ in the US, Variety exclusively reports.
The series, starring Matthew Macfadyen as legendary spymaster George Smiley, will be produced by The Ink Factory, which will distribute the fifth season, and was first reported to be released in March.
Director Macfadyen is joined by Charlie Hunnam (Monsters, Sons of Anarchy) as British intelligence officer Alec Remus, Daniel Brühl (Inglourious Basterds, Rush) as East German spy Jens Fielder, and Devrim Linnau Islamor (The Empress) as Doris Quintz, aka Agent Tulip.
Production on the eight-episode series is expected to begin in early 2026. As previously reported, the first season will be an animated adaptation of le Carré’s hit novel The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, while also incorporating material from the 2017 novel The Legacy of a Spy.
“The opportunity to partner with Ink Factory, the BBC and this incredible creative team to tell the story of John le Carré’s legendary George Smiley is an absolute dream project,” said Michael Wright, global head of MGM+. “MGM+ has built a brand around classic storytelling for modern audiences. ‘Legacy of Spies’ epitomizes that with a great cast led by Matthew Macfadyen and Charlie Hunnam, and we’re excited to bring it to MGM+ audiences.”
Stephen Cornwell, co-founder and co-CEO of The Ink Factory, co-wrote the series with Clarissa Ingram, and Cornwell also serves as executive producer. Graham Yost serves as executive producer alongside Simon Cornwell, co-founder and co-CEO of Ink Factory. Other executive producers include Michele Wolkoff, Malte Grunert, Chris Rice, Steve Clark Hall, Macfadyen, Hunnam, Joe Tsai, and Arthur Wang. Nick Cornwell is Executive Producer of John Le Carre Estate. Suzanne Bier and Mike Leslie will serve as executive producers for season one. Executive producers for the BBC are Gaynor Holmes and Nick Lambon. Sam Costin will serve as co-executive producer of Ink Factory. “Legacy of Spies” is produced by The Ink Factory in association with Amusement Park Films, 127 Wall Productions and Paramount Television Studios, with worldwide sales handled by Fifth Season.
“This project is in many ways the most ambitious and comprehensive adaptation of le Carré’s work to date, taking our father’s best-known and best-loved character, the complex and genius spymaster George Smiley, and using the medium as a canvas to tell the story of his journey through a world that culturally and politically shaped the world we live in today,” said Simon and Stephen Cornwell. “It’s a great coup to have Matthew embody the mastermind of this vulnerable and dangerous operation alongside the brilliant talents of Charlie, Daniel and Devrim. We’re delighted that this series will now be home to BBC and MGM+, working with Marthe and the team at Fairgrounds, and we’re delighted to have Graham guide this project with his wisdom, vision and deft touch, bringing a mastery of the genre to match that of le Carré.”
The description for The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, first published in 1963, reads:
“The Spy from the Cold begins in the shadow of the newly built Berlin Wall, as Alec Remus watches over the last of his agents to be shot dead by an East German sentry. For Remus, a high-ranking British intelligence official in Berlin, the Cold War is over. Posing as a resentful and dissolute former agent, Remus plans to trap Mundt, the deputy head of East German intelligence, and George Smiley, who is using him as a decoy, ready to play out the game as Control wants.
“Legacy of Spies is a dream-like le Carré project adapted by the geniuses Stephen Cornwell and Clarissa Ingram,” said Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama. “We’re thrilled that The Ink Factory, the ultimate experts in the genre, are producing this series starring such great actors as Matthew, Charlie, Devrim and Daniel. BBC viewers are in for a very special treat!”
Ink Factory is repped by CAA. Yost is repped by CAA and Triangle Management Partners. Stephen Cornwell and Ingram are repped by CAA. Mr. McFaddin is represented by Mr. Hamilton Hodell, Mr. UTA and Mr. Wolf Casteller. Hunnam is repped by CAA, Brillstein Entertainment Partners, Sloane Offer, and Apex PR. Brühl is repped by UTA and Tavistock Wood. Ringnow Islamor is represented by Spielkind and Hamilton Hodel. Mr le Carré is represented by Curtis Brown.
In 2020, it was announced that Fifth Season (then Endeavor Content) had acquired a minority stake in Ink Factory. Ink Factory, founded by le Carré’s sons Stephen and Simon Cornwell, has produced several adaptations of the author’s works. This includes a series adaptation of “The Night Manager,” starring Tom Hiddleston. The show won two Emmy Awards and three Golden Globe Awards in its debut, including Best Actor for Hiddleston. It was announced that the BBC and Amazon Prime Video will air two more seasons of the show in 2024, with Hiddleston returning as Jonathan Pine. The company also produced the “The Little Drummer Girl” series and the film “The Most Wanted Man,” based on le Carré’s books.
