Frederick Forsyth could make a claim to be one of the greatest thriller writers of all time. His novels have spanned decades, covering everything from African mercenaries, war criminals, and the drug trade, right up to drone warfare and cyber attacks. Movies based on his work haven’t always fared so well. Can a new version of The Day Of The Jackal reverse that trend?

The original is a bona fide classic. The famed 1973 film adaptation of the 1971 novel starred Edward Fox as The Jackal alongside Michel Lonsdale, Terence Alexander, Derek Jacobi, and many more. It scored multiple BAFTA nominations and an Oscar nomination.

The Fourth Protocol is solid, with Michael Caine and a strong cast doing all the heavy lifting. Outside that it is downhill pretty fast as Walken-led The Dogs Of War, a television movie based on Avenger, and another television movie based on Icon (led by Patrick Swayze) show a clear downward trend.

A loose 1997 remake of The Day Of The Jackal starring Bruce Willis and Richard Gere is basically a crime against reason and cinema.

Now Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne has been set as the lead of a new version of Frederick Forsyth’s first novel for Peacock, Sky, and Universal.

Redmayne will play the Jackal, a mysterious assassin who is hired by the French dissident organization, the OAS, to kill the then-president of France Charles de Gaulle.

Redmayne will also executive produce the thriller which will be a series. Ronan Bennett serves as showrunner whilst Brian Kirk directs. Gareth Neame, Nigel Marchant, and Sam Hoyle also executive produce. Neame says in a press release:

“We are excited to bring to life Ronan Bennett’s re-imagining of Forsyth’s revered thriller in the complex world in which we live today and are incredibly fortunate to have an actor of Eddie’s calibre as our Jackal. Paired with Ronan’s screenplay and Brian Kirk’s direction, this is a first-class creative team.”

Filming will take place later this year. It will be released in 2024 in the US on Peacock and Sky in European release.

Check back every day for new content at Last Movie Outpost.
To like us on Facebook Click Here
To follow us on Twitter Click Here
See our YouTube channel Click Here

The post DAY OF THE Jackal Scores Lead appeared first on The Last Movie Outpost.