John le Carré fans, today is your day. As Anton Corbjin‘s take on A Most Wanted Man is gearing up for a release this year, we’ve got updates on another pair of adaptations based on the espionage author’s work. First up, hinted at last fall, a sequel to the 2011 film Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy continues to move forward and it’s now confirmed to be Smiley’s People.
According to ScreenDaily, the film is still in the development stage, but writer Peter Straughan and director Tomas Alfredson are working hard on getting it ready for a 2014 production. Led by Gary Oldman, who would again be the main focus, the original ensemble will also be returning with the actors aware of the current timetable.
Moving on to another property, we’ve got some cast confirmations on Justin Kurzel‘s follow-up to his dark drama Snowtown, an adaptation of Our Kind of Traitor. With a script written by Drive‘s Hossein Amini, after being rumored, Ralph Fiennes and Mads Mikkelsen are now in final talks to join the film, which already has Ewan McGregor set to star.
The story would follow McGregor’s character, “one half of a couple who gets mixed up with a Russian oligarch and major money launderer Mikkelsen). Torn between the Russian Mafia and the British Secret Service, Fiennes wold be playing a UK government “fixer” named Hector Meredith. McGregor’s other half has yet to be determined, but Jessica Chastain was originally rumored for the part, although she has seemingly dropped out.
Set for a summer shoot in Moscow, Marrakech, Paris, London and Switzerland, expect the $35 million film to arrive in 2014 and check back for final casting soon.
Are you looking forward to both John le Carre adaptations?