A New Era of Excellence for John le Carré

A New Era of Excellence for John le Carré

      Chris Connor discusses the current renaissance of adaptations based on John le Carré's works.

      John le Carré remains one of the most respected and influential spy fiction writers of the 20th and 21st centuries. His novels, including The Spy Who Came in From the Cold and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, continue to dominate the genre. Since the 1960s, his works have been translated into film and television, with the Richard Burton-starring The Spy Who Came in From the Cold regarded as a seminal piece of the period. Among the many global adaptations, Alec Guinness' performance as George Smiley in the miniseries Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Smiley’s People is still highly celebrated, marking the beginning and end of the Smiley vs Karla trilogy.

      Despite some of his novels receiving a lukewarm response, there was a revival of interest in the 2010s, thanks to acclaimed BBC adaptations like The Night Manager and The Little Drummer Girl in 2016 and 2018, respectively. This surge followed the success of the film adaptation of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy featuring Gary Oldman, which, regrettably, did not lead to the anticipated sequel.

      There has been ongoing discussion about a second season of The Night Manager, although plans were somewhat hindered by le Carré's passing in 2020, with cast and crew indicating that a second novel would be necessary for future seasons. Nearly a decade after the initial season, Tom Hiddleston is set to reprise his role as Jonathan Pine in a highly awaited continuation, with a third season already in the works.

      The Night Manager is not the only significant le Carré adaptation underway. The BBC is developing a new major series that will draw from the George Smiley books. A Legacy of Spies, named after his 2017 return to the character, aims to offer one of the most expansive interpretations of the author's works to date. The first season, scheduled to debut in 2026, will incorporate elements from The Spy Who Came in From The Cold, featuring Matthew MacFadyen as Smiley, Daniel Brühl as Lens Fielder, and Charlie Hunnam as Alec Leamas. In the original narrative, Smiley is more of a secondary character, so this could pave the way for future seasons where he assumes a more prominent role.

      The Spy Who Came in From the Cold has also been adapted into a well-received theatrical production on the West End. This new approach to his adaptations showcases the versatility of his work, and it will be interesting to see if other pieces are adapted similarly. His legacy endures in literature as well, with the excellent continuation novel Karla’s Choice by his son Nick Harkaway, which adeptly fills in gaps from the original novels.

      This could potentially lead to its own adaptation or be incorporated into the narrative of A Legacy of Spies. Harkaway is also revisiting Smiley's world with The Taper Man, set to be released in 2026, which expands the international narrative to the US and includes the often-referenced Cousins, US intelligence not depicted in the original novels.

      The trend of le Carré adaptations isn't confined to the UK and US; there’s a new Korean/German television adaptation of A Most Wanted Man in progress (previously a film featuring Philip Seymour Hoffman). In addition to the aforementioned works, there are numerous other stories of his that have yet to be adapted or have not been revisited in years, making them ripe for new interpretation.

      The recent surge of le Carré adaptations is a treasure trove for longtime fans and will ensure that, even after his passing, he reaches a broader audience and maintains his status as the benchmark in modern spy fiction, inspiring a new generation of writers.

      Chris Connor

A New Era of Excellence for John le Carré A New Era of Excellence for John le Carré A New Era of Excellence for John le Carré A New Era of Excellence for John le Carré A New Era of Excellence for John le Carré

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A New Era of Excellence for John le Carré

Chris Connor discusses the emerging golden age of adaptations of John le Carré's works… John le Carré continues to be one of the most esteemed and impactful spy novelists of both the 20th and 21st centuries. Titles such as The Spy Wh…