Summary
- Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is an underrated spy film with a brilliant cast, including Benedict Cumberbatch and Gary Oldman.
- Despite talks of a sequel, the project seems to have fallen to the wayside, leaving fans hopeful but disappointed.
- The film is based on John le Carré’s novel and is considered one of the best-acted movies in the past 15 years.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is, undeniably, an underrated film. Although it won the BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Film and received three Oscar nominations, the film has not received its due respect in the years since its release. Notably, despite talks of a sequel since its release in 2011, the project has seemingly fallen to the wayside, and I’m a little upset by that.
The Cold War spy film was based on John le Carré’s 1974 novel of the same name. Set in London during the early 1970s, the story revolves around a team of British Secret Service agents as they scramble to hunt down a Soviet double agent who has infiltrated the agency. Le Carré’s novel was also the basis for the critically acclaimed 1979 BBC television series of the same name, with Alec Guinness in the lead role of Smiley. However, while both adaptations are hugely enjoyable, I believe that the Gary Oldman version remains one of the most underrated modern entries in the entire spy movie genre.
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Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy Is A Great Spy Movie With A Brilliant Cast
It’s A Who’s Who of Popular Actors
Not only is Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy a fantastic film, but it also boasts a who’s who of British acting. Notable players include Benedict Cumberbatch, who was at the height of his popularity thanks to the BBC series Sherlock. Cumberbatch had also appeared in Atonement and The Other Boleyn Girl. The film also stars Gary Oldman as George Smiley, the role that earned him his first Best Actor nomination at the 84th Academy Awards. Before this, Oldman’s notable roles included Sirius Black in the Harry Potter franchise, Commissioner Gordon in The Dark Knight Trilogy, and Count Dracula in Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
…Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
is, in my opinion, one of the best-acted movies of the past 15 years.
Other notable stars of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy include Tom Hardy as Ricki Tarr (he had previously starred in Inception), Colin Firth as Bill Haydon (Mamma Mia! and The King’s Speech), and Mark Strong as Jim Prideaux (Kick-Ass, Robin Hood, and Green Lantern). Across the board, top British acting talent elevates what is already an iconic spy story, courtesy of Le Carré. With electric performances from everyone involved, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is, in my opinion, one of the best-acted movies of the past 15 years.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy Could’ve Had A Sequel, So Why Didn’t It Happen?
A Sequel Most Likely Won’t Happen
It’s baffling to me that Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy never got a sequel. Not only was it a critical and commercial success, but the novel the film was based on is only the first of Le Carré’s Smiley Versus Karla trilogy. The second and third books in the series are The Honourable Schoolboy (1977) and Smiley’s People (1979), respectively. This means that there is no dearth of material that could be pulled for a sequel.
From Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’s 2011 release to December 2021, rumors circulated that a sequel was in the works, although it was unknown if the sequel would be based on The Honourable Schoolboy or Smiley’s People. Unfortunately, in 2021, it was revealed that the rights to the Smiley Versus Karla trilogy had reverted to Le Carré’s estate. This means that, now, a sequel to the acclaimed spy film is unlikely. However, that’s not going to stop me from holding out hope for a long-awaited sequel.
