Eddie Redmayne’s Spy Thriller Is The Perfect Bodyguard Replacement

When Bodyguard hit Netflix, people couldn’t stop talking about it. Richard Madden gave one of his best performances and fans have been begging for season 2 ever since. But here we are, seven years later, and still nothing official. So now there’s The Day of the Jackal. And it’s not just any filler show. Eddie Redmayne has turned this classic spy story into something fresh, and people are hooked.

Redmayne’s no stranger to big roles. He’s got an Oscar, a BAFTA, and a Golden Globe on his shelf already. So when word got out he’d star in a new version of The Day of the Jackal, expectations were sky-high. And the show didn’t disappoint. Critics gave it an 85% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Pretty solid for a spy thriller remake.

What Makes The Day of the Jackal So Good?

If you don’t know the backstory, the show’s based on a novel from 1971 and a hit 1973 movie. The plot follows a top-tier sniper — the Jackal — played by Redmayne, who’s tangled in a deadly game with a smart British intelligence officer. It’s got all the suspense you want from a spy story. Snipers, secret meetings, near-misses. But this new version updates the old-school political angle for today’s world.

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Eddie isn’t carrying the show alone either. Lashana Lynch joins him and they make a perfect match for this tense chase across Europe. People say it’s the best British spy thriller since Bodyguard. They’re not wrong. Both shows have that same tight focus on one complicated lead. Both mix action with sharp political twists. And both get into your head about what happens when you can’t trust the people running the show.

If you were one of the folks left wanting more after Bodyguard ended, this feels like the perfect swap. Same adrenaline. Same edge-of-your-seat vibe. Just more global this time.

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Will Bodyguard Season 2 Ever Happen Now?

So what’s up with Bodyguard anyway? Richard Madden won big awards for it too — even an Emmy nod. But despite all the buzz, BBC and Netflix haven’t confirmed season 2. There was a tiny spark of hope back in 2021 when someone close to the show said new ideas were cooking. But then… silence.

Showrunner Jed Mercurio keeps saying he wants to do it. But with Madden busy with Marvel and other projects, nobody knows if the stars will align again. Meanwhile, The Day of the Jackal is already moving full speed ahead on season 2. Redmayne says he wants to push the story further, see how deep they can go. And judging by how well season 1 did, that seems likely.

Fans waiting on Bodyguard can dive into The Day of the Jackal now. It’s got that same tension and all those trust-no-one twists. Plus, Eddie Redmayne with a sniper rifle? That alone is worth pressing play.

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