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MCU and 007 Star Lashana Lynch Joins Eddie Redmayne in Peacock's Day of the Jackal
The updated take on the classic thriller now has a second major star in its cast.
Peacock's upcoming Day of the Jackal series just got even more star power. Variety reports that Lashana Lynch, fresh off the success of The Woman King and her second Marvel Cinematic Universe appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, has joined the new adaptation of Frederick Forsyth's classic novel in a major role.
Lynch joins Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne, who will play the title role, in the streaming series, which is described as a "contemporary drama" that will update Forsyth's novel for modern audiences while staying true to the spirit of the original story. According to Variety, Lynch will play Bianca, a "tenacious law enforcement agent" on the trail of The Jackal, a notorious and complex assassin.
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First published in 1971, Forsyth's novel is considered one of the best political thrillers ever crafted, and follows the exploits of the title assassin as he takes on a contract to kill French President Charles de Gaulle. Forsyth was inspired by a real-life plot to kill De Gaulle in the 1960s, and sets his own fictional story up as the second attempt to do the job. The novel was adapted into a now-classic film directed by Fred Zinneman in 1973.
Other than the obvious updates that come with adapting the story in 2023 rather than 1973, we still don't know exactly what will change in the new streaming series, but we do know who's handling the adaptation. Ronan Bennett (Top Boy) will handle writing and showrunning for the series, while Brian Kirk (Game of Thrones, Luther) is set up to direct.
The new adaptation was first announced back in November of last year as an updated take on Forsyth's story. Redmayne joined the project back in March, adding major star power to the series. And now Lynch, who plays Maria Rambeau in the MCU and Nomi in the James Bond franchise, will bring even more.
When it was revealed last year, the project promised to reframe a classic and beloved story within "the turbulent geo-political landscape of our time." It'll be very interesting to see how Day of The Jackal does that in the coming months, and who else joins the series ahead of its debut.
Looking for more thriller series? Check out The Resort, now streaming on Peacock.
