We were already primed to be excited for the new film version of John Le Carré’s classic espionage novel Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy, but now that a chunk of the main cast is locked on place, we’re even more eager to see this one come to life. Why? Try Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Ralph Fiennes and Michael Fassbender all jumping aboard.
Oldman, Firth and Fassbender were all touted as likely stars last month, and now Variety reports that they’ve all signed on, the film is just that much more enticing.
And while David Thewlis appears to have dropped out of the running, Fiennes is hardly a second-rate replacement. Plus, there are likely more announcements to come, and it’s always possible that Thewlis is still haggling over a deal to appear.
Let the Right One in director Thomas Alfredson is the man charged with getting the story on to the big screen, with The Queen’s Peter Morgan writing the script.
Le Carré’s novel is the first of his Karla trilogy (anyone else hoping for a franchise if the first movie is a success?) and follows the hunt for a mole within MI6. Smiley (which Oldman is likely to be playing) is among those suspected, but his keen mind and quick wits soon help him dig his way out of trouble.
**Tinker, Tailor **was last adapted by the BBC back in 1979, with Alec Guinness as Smiley. With Alfredson set to kick off shooting in October, we could well see a big screen version that lives up to the reputation of that TV adaptation…