Eddie Redmayne addresses fan comparisons made between James Bond and his titular assassin, known by the code name Jackal, in the television remake of The Day of the Jackal. Based on Frederick Forsyth’s 1971 novel of the same name, the latest thriller series takes another chance at adapting the story following the 1973 film adaptation headlined by Edward Fox. Ever since the trailer for the new Day of the Jackal dropped, viewers have been drawing comparisons between Redmayne’s character and 007.
Redmayne told Metro that “it’s deeply flattering” to be compared to Bond, but he’d rather “see someone else in the Bond movies” than him. He shared his enthusiasm for playing the Jackal specifically, which stems from his childhood, as he grew up watching the original movie. Check out what he said below:
Whenever anyone brings out the James Bond thing, it’s deeply flattering, but I love watching the Bond movies, and I don’t want to see me in the Bond movies. I want to see someone else in the Bond movies. I grew up on this. I grew up on the original Day of the Jackal, Edward Fox. There was a kind of like casual, ruthless, debonair quality to him, the kind of peacocking thing that I loved, and also the shape-shifting quality that kind of defines him as a character. So I feel pretty thrilled to have got to play this guy.
Ronan Bennett, who wrote the screenplay for the television adaptation, chimed in on the difference between Bond and Jackal, stating that while Bond is “heightened” and “escapism,” Jackal is “a real person with a real hinterland.” Executive producer Gareth Neame added that despite the trailer perhaps looking a bit “James Bond-ish,” the show is “quite different.” EP Nigel Marchant further chimed in on Redmayne’s performance. Check out what they said:
Bennett:
We all love Bond, but it’s heightened. It’s not really real. What I’ve tried to do here, and what I think Eddie has excelled in, has been portraying a real person with a real hinterland, a real backstory, and keeping the character grounded in a reality. Bond is escapism, and this has thrilling elements and all the rest of it, but it’s grounded in reality. So that I would say would be the difference. Eddie would be a great Bond, I’ve got no doubt.Neame:
I don’t think we think that the show is very James Bond-ish, it isn’t really. I mean, I can see it might look a bit like that in a short trailer, but I think viewers will see that it’s quite different from that. That said, there probably are other movie franchises there that it resembles a bit more, maybe. I actually think what we see in the finished work is really every everything we’d hoped that Eddie would be, a chameleon. There’s lots of disguises, there’s lots of language work, different languages, the disguises, prosthetics, it’s a very physical performance.Marchant:
So he was the perfect Jackal for us
It’s Grittier And More Grounded Than Bond Movies
Judging by the producers’ comments, it seems that Redmayne’s Jackal will dazzle with his wide range of skills and professionalism. As a professional assassin, Jackal needs to be a chameleon in any given situation. While James Bond movies always catch the notorious 007 on the move, the franchise typically only captures the action aspect of assassins. The producers’ comments mean that, in comparison to Bond, Redmayne offers a much more detailed portrayal and more complicated performance.
With Redmayne being a huge fan of Edward Fox’s Jackal, it’s likely that the television rendition of the character will be hugely inspired by Fox’s performance. There might be similarities in their approaches to the character. At the same time, Redmayne’s comment also clarifies that he has no interest in starring in a Bond movie despite the Jackal actor being a perfect candidate.
Our Take On The Day Of The Jackal Remake
It Sounds Very Promising
As a television series, the upcoming remake will be able to further elaborate on complex character studies and intricate storylines. The updates from the producers and Redmayne sound very promising, especially after Jodie Comer’s Killing Eve role took the term “professional assassin” to a whole new level. Comer offered a much more layered performance than the usual flamboyant Bond-ish assassins. The ability to shift between multiple accents and languages at ease and become different people sounds very interesting.
At the same time, a professional assassin also has a ruthless and cold side, which is something viewers can expect to see in the upcoming The Day of the Jackal remake, which will arrive on November 7 on Sky Atlantic and Peacock. It seems like the upcoming television series will give a much more grounded depiction to both characters and the world of secrecy.
Source: Metro