The Peacock series, The Day of the Jackal, has been generating a lot of buzz ever since it was announced, with fans eager to know about its episode release schedule as well as plot details.
Starring Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch in lead roles, the British spy thriller show is based on Frederick Forsyth’s 1971 novel of the same name and is the first TV series based on the popular book.
The Sky Atlantic (UK) and Peacock (US) series was filmed in London, Budapest and several locations in Croatia. Brian Kirk, whose directorial credits include episodes of Dexter (2009), Luther (2010), and Game of Thrones (2011), helms the show.
All about The Day of the Jackal 2024 TV series
The cast of The Day of the Jackal and who plays whom
The Day of the Jackal boasts a stellar cast, comprising some of the most famous actors from the UK and one famous Spanish star.
That star is Úrsula Corberó – internationally known for playing Tokyo in Money Heist (2017–2021), one of the most-watched non-English Netflix shows.
Following are the actors and the characters they essay on 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
What to expect in The Day of the Jackal
Forsyth’s novel was first adapted into the critically acclaimed political thriller movie of the same name from 1973, whose setting was France under President Charles de Gaulle in the 1960s.
The story of the novel and the film revolves around the titular Jackal, a British assassin hired by the French militant group Organisation armée secrète (OSS) to kill De Gaulle. An intrepid senior policeman, Claude Lebel, is tasked with capturing Jackal. Edward Fox played the Jackal in the film while Michael Lonsdale played Lebel.
Though some believe that The Day of the Jackal is based on a true story, the book is entirely fictional. However, the OSS did attempt to kill De Gaulle multiple times in real life.
The novel was also adapted in 1997 as an American action thriller film titled The Jackal. It stars Bruce Willis as the assassin and Richard Gere as an IRA sniper trying to stop him from killing the First Lady of the United States. However, the American version is considered a loose remake.
Unlike the novel and the original film adaptation, the 2024 The Day of the Jackal thriller show changes the setting to England and Europe instead of France and places it in a contemporary political atmosphere. While Redmayne is the Jackal, the character of Lebel has been changed to British intelligence officer Bianca, who is portrayed by Lynch.
However, the central plot of the series follows the theme of the novel: The Jackal on a mission to assassinate an important target, while Bianca races against time to capture him.
The Day of the Jackal episode release schedule
The Day of the Jackal, the TV series will have a total of 10 episodes. It premiered in the UK on 7 November on Sky and NOW with the first five episodes, but will be aired in the rest of the world, including the US, starting 14 November.
The series will premiere in India on 15 November on JioCinema. Going by the UK premiere format, Indian fans are likely to catch the first five episodes of The Day of the Jackal on the first day. All other episodes will be released over the next four weeks, concluding with a double-episode finale on 13 December.
The following is the complete episode release schedule of The Day of the Jackal:
- Episode 1 – Friday, 15 November
- Episode 2 – Friday, 15 November
- Episode 3 – Friday, 15 November
- Episode 4 – Friday, 15 November
- Episode 5 – Friday, 15 November
- Episode 6 – Friday, 22 November
- Episode 7 – Friday, 29 November
- Episode 8 – Friday, 6 December
- Episode 9 – Friday, 13 December
- Episode 10 – Friday, 13 December
Each episode of the series is around an hour long.
Is there a trailer for The Day of the Jackal?
Yes, there is a trailer for the series. It was released on 9 October 2024 by Peacock on their official YouTube channel.
(Hero and Featured images: Courtesy of PEACOCK/Marcell Piti/SKY/Carnival – © 2023 Carnival Film & Television Limited via IMDb)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
No, the 2024 TV series is not a remake but a small-screen adaptation of Frederick Forsyth's novel 'The Day of the Jackal'.
The Jackal's real name and identity are not revealed in 'The Day of the Jackal' novel and movie.
Yes, the ‘The Day of the Jackal’ movie version from 1973 is considered one of the best thrillers of all time.
There are 10 episodes in 'The Day of the Jackal'.
Tags
Written by
Manas Sen Gupta writes at the intersection of tech, entertainment and history. His works have appeared in publications such as The Statesman, Myanmar Matters, Hindustan Times and News18/ETV. In his spare time, Manas loves studying interactive charts and topographic maps. When not doing either, he prefers reading detective fiction. Spring is his favourite season and he can happily eat a bowl of noodles any time of the day.
