The Day of the Jackal release date, plot and trailer for Sky remake

Indeed, one of the biggest changes in this adaptation (besides the modern day setting) is the decision to expand the Jackal character, giving him a family and a more sensitive side than we saw in the 1973 film.

Of the deviations, Redmayne told Radio Times magazine that he was "a bit tentative" at first because "you don’t want to mess with something as brilliant as this" – but he came around after reading the scripts by Top Boy's Ronan Bennett.

"The thing I love about the original structure, which Ronan has managed to retain, is the odd idea that you have these two protagonists who are deeply morally compromised, making vicious choices, and yet you kind of warm to both of them."

Game of Thrones director Brian Kirk reunites with stars Charles Dance and Richard Dormer for the new series, while Money Heist star Úrsula Corberó also appears in a key supporting role.

If your a fan of espionage and conspiracy stories, The Day of the Jackal is looking like a strong addition to your watch list – here's when you can expect the new series to drop on Sky and NOW.

The Day of the Jackal release date

The Day of the Jackal premieres on Sky Atlantic and NOW on Thursday 7th November 2024.

The series is a co-production with US streaming service Peacock, which will serve as the show's home across the pond.

The Day of the Jackal cast

Eddie Redmayne leads the cast of The Day of the Jackal as the titular assassin, who causes an international crisis with his ruthless work – and that's before he's hired to take out one of the world's most powerful men.

Lashana Lynch co-stars as Bianca, an MI6 agent working tirelessly to track the Jackal down before he can eliminate his next target, but the all-encompassing work risks capsizing her personal relationships.

The show has assembled a star-studded supporting cast too, including Úrsula Corberó (Money Heist), Charles Dance (The Crown), Lia Williams (Mr Bates vs The Post Office) and Chukwudi Iwuji (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3).

Here's a full list of the confirmed names set to appear in Sky's The Day of the Jackal:

• Eddie Redmayne as The Jackal
• Lashana Lynch as Bianca
• Úrsula Corberó as Nuria
• Charles Dance as Timothy Winthorp
• Richard Dormer as Norman
• Chukwudi Iwuji as Osita Halcrow
• Lia Williams as Isabel Kirby
• Khalid Abdalla as Ulle Dag Charles
• Eleanor Matsuura as Zina Jansone
• Jonjo O'Neill as Edward Carver
• Sule Rimi as Paul Pullman

What is The Day of the Jackal about?

The Day of the Jackal is a political thriller following an MI6 agent as she attempts to trace the movements of the world's most deadly assassin, who has a high-profile target in his sights.

The story has been told before – in the original 1971 novel and its acclaimed 1973 film adaptation – but star Eddie Redmayne has assured that there is plenty to distinguish this modern retelling and to keep it relevant to the present day.

He explained: "It was one of those movies that my family would watch again and again and again. And so I thought, wow, this is bold, that they're going to try and reimagine this.

"And what I read, I just found completely thrilling and compelling, and at each moment it threw me off course and it kind of discombobulated me, but I couldn't stop turning the pages...

"I hadn't done television for a few years, but the idea of getting to spend a proper amount of time with this enigma felt like great material to mine."

The Day of the Jackal trailer

Check out the trailer for Sky's The Day of the Jackal below:

The Day of the Jackal is coming to Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW on 7th November. Sign up for NOW from £6.99 a month or sign up for Sky Stream from £29 a month.

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