Peacock and Sky have announced an early season two renewal for the thrilling series The Day of the Jackal, starring Eddie Redmayne in the role of the elusive assassin. The show quickly climbed to the top of Peacock’s Top 10 TV Shows list following its release, with the 10-episode first season premiering on November 14, 2024, and concluding on December 19, 2024.
The star-studded cast also includes Lashana Lynch, Úrsula Corberó, Charles Dance, Richard Dormer, and Chukwudi Iwuji, along with Lia Williams, Khalid Abdalla, Eleanor Matsuura, Jonjo O’Neill, and Sule Rimi.
The series centers on a master assassin, known only as the Jackal (played by Redmayne), who makes a living carrying out high-profile hits. Following his latest mission, the Jackal finds himself pursued by a relentless British intelligence officer (Lynch) in an intense, high-stakes cat-and-mouse chase across Europe, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
During a recent press conference, Redmayne shared his excitement about joining the project. “The truth is that the way I choose work is instinctive,” he said. “I grew up watching The Day of the Jackal movie, one of my dad’s favorites. Despite being a bit young for it, I found it compelling—something about it felt old-school, focusing on the craft of espionage and the methodical nature of being an assassin. When I got the scripts, I was a little nervous as I didn’t want to ruin something I loved, but the new setting and fresh take kept that same analog charm while feeling modern and exciting.”
Redmayne continued, explaining that the series’ structure, full of twists and tension, kept him hooked. “It’s the type of television I love—keeps you on the edge of your seat. And the character was different from anything I’ve done before. After reading the first three scripts, I just had to know what happened next.”
Based on the novel by Frederick Forsyth, The Day of the Jackal is executive produced by Eddie Redmayne, Gareth Neame, Nigel Marchant, Sam Hoyle, Sue Naegle, Ronan Bennett, and Brian Kirk. The first season was written by Ronan Bennett, with Brian Kirk, Anthony Philipson, Paul Wilmshurst, and Anu Menon directing.