First Photos: John le Carré’s “A Legacy of Spies”

By
Garth Franklin
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BBC, MGM+

The BBC and MGM+ have released the first images from the upcoming eight-part event series adaptation of John le Carré’s “A Legacy of Spies” with a first look at Matthew Macfadyen as famed spymaster George Smiley.

The shots also feature Charlie Hunnam as British intelligence officer Alec Leamas. The images tie into the end of production on the series, which “Silo” creator Graham Yost is executive producing, in the Czech Republic.

The series has ties to John le Carré’s 2017 novel “A Legacy of Spies” which serves as both a prequel and sequel to le Carre’s two most famous works – “The Spy Who Came In From The Cold” and “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy”.

This adaptation is mostly a new take on “The Spy Who Came In From The Cold” but will incorporate material from “A Legacy of Spies” and other Smiley-related published works into the narrative.

The story begins in the shadow of the newly-erected Berlin Wall, as senior British intelligence officer Alec Leamas (Hunnam) watches his last agent shot dead by East German sentries.

As Leamas faces the prospect of retirement or worse – a desk job – Control (Hugh Laurie) offers him a unique opportunity for revenge.

Assuming the guise of an embittered and dissolute ex-agent, Leamas is set up to trap Hans-Dieter Mundt (Felix Kammerer), the deputy director of the East German Intelligence Service, with himself as the bait.

In the background is George Smiley (Macfadyen), ready to make the game play out just as Control wants. Also onboard are Dan Stevens as Bill Haydon, Daniel Brühl as Jens Fiedler, Jake Dunn as Peter Guillam, Joe Alwyn as Jim Prideaux, Goran Bogdan as Toby Esterhase, Charlotte Ritchie as Ann Smiley, Anjana Vasan as Connie Sachs and Agnes O’Casey as Liz Gold.

Stephen Cornwell and Clarissa Ingram are writing the series which hasn’t set an air date as yet.