Legacy of Spies (TV series)

Legacy of Spies is an upcoming British spy thriller television series built around John le Carré’s George Smiley novels. The show draws from *The Spy Who Came in from the Cold*, *Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy*, *The Honourable Schoolboy*, *A Legacy of Spies*, and other works. Matthew Macfadyen plays George Smiley. The Ink Factory produces the series, and Fifth Season manages distribution.

The cast includes Matthew Macfadyen as George Smiley, Charlie Hunnam as Alec Leamas, Daniel Brühl as Jens Fielder, Devrim Lingnau as Doris Quinz / Agent Tulip, Dan Stevens as Bill Haydon, Felix Kammerer as Hans-Dieter Mundt, Agnes O'Casey as Liz Gold, Volker Bruch as Emmanuel Rapp, Saskia Rosendahl as Lotte Gamp, Patrick Güldenberg as Dr. Karl Riemeck, Safia Oakley-Green as Molly Gibson, Jake Dunn as Peter Guillam, Ariyon Bakare as Cy Aflon, Hugh Laurie as Control, Joe Alwyn as Jim Prideaux, Anjana Vasan as Connie Sachs, Charlotte Ritchie as Ann Smiley, Lee Ross as Inspector Oliver Mendel, James McArdle as Percy Alleline, John Dagleish as Roy Bland, Goran Bogdan as Toby Esterhase, and Adam Hugill as Fawn.

Development began by March 2025, when The Ink Factory and Fifth Season were working on the project. The series was pitched and received offers from potential buyers. In December 2025, it received a series order to premiere on the BBC in the UK and on MGM+ in the US. The first season is based on le Carré’s 1963 novel *The Spy Who Came in from the Cold* and also draws from his 2017 novel *A Legacy of Spies*. Graham Yost joined as an executive producer, with Stephen Cornwell and Clarissa Ingram as writers. Michael Lennox and Claudia Llosa direct. Stephen Cornwell also serves as showrunner, and executive producers include Simon Cornwell, Yost, Macfadyen, Lennox, Charlie Hunnam, Michele Wolkoff, Malte Grunert, Chris Rice, Steve Clark-Hall, Joe Tsai, Arthur Wang, Susanne Bier, Mike Lesslie, Gaynor Holmes, Nick Lambon (for the BBC), and Nick Cornwell (for the John le Carré estate). Llosa and Sam Costin are co-executive producers, and Nancy Bray produces. The Ink Factory produces in co-production with Amusement Park Film, in association with 127 Wall Productions and Paramount Television Studios, with Fifth Avenue handling global sales.

Casting announcements came in December 2025 for Hunnam, Brühl, and Lingnau. Dan Stevens, Felix Kammerer, Agnes O'Casey, Volker Bruch, Saskia Rosenda