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In 2024, the British spy thriller series “The Day of the Jackal” made a powerful entrance, garnering praise from critics and audiences alike. The show stars Eddie Redmayne as the enigmatic assassin known as the Jackal. His character navigates the challenging balance between his deadly assignments and personal life with his wife, Nuria, played by Úrsula Corberó.
The debut season thrusts viewers into a tense chase, as the Jackal finds himself pursued by MI6 officer Bianca Pullman, portrayed by Lashana Lynch. Pullman is determined to hold him accountable for his numerous crimes. The season finale delivered a jaw-dropping twist, altering the series’ trajectory and leaving fans eagerly anticipating more. For those who have sought out similar thrilling shows to tide them over, there’s good news—more action and suspense are on the horizon.
The first season of the show sees him engaging in a cat-and-mouse game with MI6 officer Bianca Pullman (Lashana Lynch), who wants to bring him to justice for his many, many crimes. It concluded on a shocking note that changed the dynamic of the series and left viewers hungry for more. For everyone who has been watching the best shows like “The Days of the Jackal” to fill the void, the good news is that it’s set to return for more action and thrills.
At the helm of the first season was Ronan Bennett, the showrunner and lead writer, who brought his expertise from acclaimed projects like “Top Boy” and “MobLand,” along with co-writing credits for Michael Mann’s “Public Enemies.” Although Bennett will step back from his writing duties for the upcoming season, as reported by Variety, he remains an executive producer. The writing responsibilities are now in the capable hands of David Harrower.
Harrower, known for his work as a playwright and co-creator of the gripping drama “Lockerbie: A Search for Truth,” brings a fresh perspective to the series. This change could address some critiques of the first season, which, despite earning Emmy, Golden Globe, and BAFTA nominations, faced some criticism. Looper’s review highlighted a strong start but noted that the series lost its way as it progressed. An infusion of new creative energy may be precisely what the series needs as it ventures into its second season.
The Day of the Jackal Season 2 has a new lead writer
With the body count high from Season 1, the stage is set for new characters to emerge in Season 2. According to Deadline, Matt Bomer is joining the cast as a villain. Bomer, a seasoned actor, is well-known from his roles in popular series such as “White Collar,” “American Horror Story,” and “Doom Patrol.” His addition promises to add further intrigue to the unfolding drama.
Bennett’s replacement is known for his work as a playwright as well as being the co-creator of the excellent drama series “Lockerbie: A Search for Truth,” which stars Colin Firth. This change might be music to some people’s ears. Despite the series earning Emmy, Golden Globe, and BAFTA nominations, not everybody thought the show nailed the landing. Looper’s review of “The Day of the Jackal” Season 1 praised the beginning of the series but stated it went off the rails as it wore on. A shake-up in the creative department to freshen things up going into Season 2 could be just what the doctor ordered.
Matt Bomer has been cast as a new villain
The Jackal leaves plenty of bodies in his wake in “The Day of the Jackal” Season 1, so there are a lot of open spots on the roster for Season 2. As revealed by Deadline, Matt Bomer has hopped onboard for the second season, and he’s said to be playing a villain. Bomer isn’t a newcomer to the world of TV: He’s plied his trade in well-known series such as “White Collar,” “American Horror Story,” and “Doom Patrol.”
Bomer isn’t the only new cast member added for “The Days of the Jackal” Season 2. He’s also joined by Pablo Schreiber and Weruche Opia, both of whom will be familiar to TV fans. Schreiber is best known for the roles of inmate turned corrections officer George Mendez in “Orange Is the New Black” and Master Chief in the “Halo” series, while Opia is known for memorable roles in “Bad Education” and “I May Destroy You.”
Season 2 will be more faithful to the book
“The Day of the Jackal” is based on the book of the same name by Frederick Forsyth as well as the 1973 film adaptation. However, the first season of the show might have more in common with the 1997 film “The Jackal” starring Bruce Willis and Richard Gere, which is a movie remake that’s way different from the original and deviates heavily from the source material. That’s because, for many fans of Forsyth, “The Day of the Jackal” Season 1 strayed too far from the book, especially in terms of how it humanizes the Jackal. “Even the Bruce Willis version got that right, or at the very least more right than this,” one Redditor bemoaned. “It demystifies the character for me to such an extent that this will render the show unrewatchable.”
Production company Carnival Films has admitted that there are lots of differences between the show and book. CEO and executive producer of the show Gareth Neame told Variety that “The Day of the Jackal” borrowed more from the very rewatchable ’70s movie adaptation than it did the original story, though they were sure to maintain that “same dynamic between the hunter and the hunted.” Whether it’s due to fans of the book being disgruntled or not, Neame confirmed to the Hollywood trade that Season 2 would implement “lots of elements from [Forsyth’s] novel that we didn’t utilize in Season 1.”
Season 2 will double down on what worked before
“The Day of the Jackal” Season 1 isn’t short on action and thrills. There are intriguing subplots and pulsating sequences that get the heart pumping faster, and these are the parts of the show that excite fans the most (there are even YouTube compilations featuring the Jackal’s best hits). The producers have been paying attention to what viewers have said about the series, and they’re going to provide more of the same in the sophomore season.
“We’ve been tracking how the show’s run and what people enjoy, and I think the premise of the assassin, how he works, who he works for, who employs his services, how he carries out his missions, people seem to be very drawn to that,” Carnival Films CEO and executive producer Gareth Neame told TV Insider, “and I guess we’ll continue in that vein.” That will come as welcome news to viewers who tuned into “The Day of the Jackal” Season 1 for the intrigue and assassinations.
Eddie Redmayne says Season 2 is more ambitious
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There’s no disputing that the Jackal receives more of a backstory in “The Day of the Jackal” than he did in previous versions of the tale, where he’s been portrayed as something of an enigma. In fact, viewers even know that his real name is Alexander Duggan (which is one of the fake names he uses in the book) and that he has a family, which complicates matters for him further since it creates vulnerability and personal attachment. All of this sets the stage for a more ambitious story in Season 2.
In an interview with The Wrap in 2025, Eddie Redmayne confirmed that the way in which the character’s arc concludes at the end of Season 1 will play into his motivations for what’s to come, praising how “the ambition seems to have inflated” for the second season and adding that he can’t wait to get started. Even though viewers have already found out so much about the Jackal, the actor declared that there’s still much more to uncover about the character. “I think we’ve only scratched the surface of him,” he said.