Eddie Redmayne Will Hunt Again in 'The Day of the Jackal' Season 2
Eddie Redmayne in "The Day of the Jackal"
(Photo: Peacock)
The Jackal apparently won't be tamed any time soon. NBC streamer Peacock and U.K. network Sky have renewed the splashy thriller series The Day of the Jackal for a second season --- before the first has even finished airing in America.
Based on the novel by Frederick Forsyth and the subsequent 1973 film from Universal Pictures, the series stars Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne (The Good Nurse) as the titular assassin known only as the Jackal, an elusive and highly skilled killer famous for his high-profile kills. But when his latest assignment puts him on the radar of a tenacous MI6 agent played by Lashana Lynch (The Marvels), a cat-and-mouse-style chase across Europe ensues.
The renewal announcement comes a week after the series' U.S. premiere. The Day of the Jackal has been number one in Peacock’s top 10 most watched this week, according to Nielsen, and was Sky’s top-rated original of all time after seven days with 3 million viewers in the U.K.
"The overwhelming response to The Day of the Jackal has exceeded all expectations," executive producers Gareth Neame and Nigel Marchant of Carnival Films said in a statement. "Our goal was to bring a fresh perspective to this iconic story, and we’re thrilled to see how well it has been received by audiences in the UK but also around the world. We couldn’t have done it without the exceptional Eddie Redmayne, Lashana Lynch and the entire cast and crew; this record-breaking success is a testament to their incredible talent.”
Here's the first season synopsis.
An unrivaled and highly elusive lone assassin, the Jackal, makes his living carrying out hits for the highest fee. But following his latest kill, he meets his match in a tenacious British intelligence officer who starts to track down the Jackal in a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase across Europe, leaving destruction in its wake.
Alongside Redmayne and Lynch, the series also stars Úrsula Corberó (Money Heist) as the Jackal's wife Nuria, as well as Charles Dance (The Serpent Queen), Richard Dormer (Blue Lights), Úrsula Corberó (Money Heist), Chukwudi Iwuji (The Split), Lia Williams (Mr Bates vs The Post Office), Khalid Abdalla (The Crown), Eleanor Matsurra (The Walking Dead), Jonjo O'Neill (The New Look), Sule Rimi (Foundation), and Florisa Kamara (Dodger).
The ten-part first season is written by Ronan Bennet (Top Boy) and directed by Brian Kirk (Luther). Executive producers include Redmayne, Lynch, Naeme, and Marchant, along with Sue Naegle, Marrianne Buckland, and Sam Hoyle.
New episodes of The Day of the Jackal are streaming weekly each Thursday on Peacock, leading up to the double finale on December 12.
