MGM+ has taken on additional international rights for Legacy of Spies, the upcoming John le Carré adaptation from The Ink Factory, in a deal with Fifth Season, which has closed several other sales on the series.
The eight-part espionage thriller is adapted from le Carré’s The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, and draws on material from his 2017 novel A Legacy of Spies, with a cast that includes Matthew Macfadyen, Charlie Hunnam, and Daniel Brühl. It is being produced by The Ink Factory, in co-production with Amusement Park Film and in association with 127 Wall Productions and Paramount Television Studios, for the BBC in the U.K. and MGM+ in the U.S.
MGM+ has taken on additional rights for Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Brazil and Spanish-speaking Latin America. Fifth Season has also sealed deals with SBS for Australia, Sky New Zealand and Sky Switzerland. Fifth Season also secured a multi-country deal with CANAL+ for France and French-speaking regions, including Switzerland, as well as CEE and Africa.
Jennifer Ebell, EVP of TV distribution at Fifth Season, commented, “Legacy of Spies is a landmark production on many levels—bringing George Smiley, one of the most iconic characters in British fiction, back to the screen with an extraordinary cast led by Matthew Macfadyen and Charlie Hunnam. It is a deeply international story, moving across the Cold War and into the present day, and one that feels remarkably relevant to the world we are living in now. The response from broadcasters around the world, including MGM+ significantly expanding its footprint for the series, speaks to the scale of the opportunity and the enduring power of John le Carré’s work. We’re proud to be working alongside The Ink Factory to bring this to audiences globally.”
