First Look at Matthew Macfadyen as George Smiley in Legacy of Spies
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Last Updated on September 30, 2026 by Stefanie Hutson
Matthew Macfadyen is stepping into one of British spy fiction’s most famous roles in Legacy of Spies, and the BBC and MGM+ have released the first images of him as George Smiley to mark the end of filming on the new eight-part drama. The series adapts John le Carré’s Cold War espionage novels and will eventually air on both sides of the Atlantic.
What Is Legacy of Spies About?
Legacy of Spies primarily adapts le Carré’s 1963 novel The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, while also drawing on material from his 2017 novel A Legacy of Spies. At the center of the story is Alec Leamas, an experienced operative for the British intelligence service known in le Carré’s novels as the Circus. Leamas recruits a young East German woman, Doris Quinz, to smuggle valuable Stasi documents into the West, setting off a dangerous chain of events in Cold War Berlin.
They soon attract the attention of East German intelligence officers Josef Fiedler and Hans-Dieter Mundt, whose determination to stop the leak is complicated by their own fierce rivalry. Liz Gold, an idealistic young woman who becomes increasingly important to Leamas, is also pulled into a world where personal relationships can quickly become vulnerabilities.
Working behind the scenes is George Smiley, the famously understated British spymaster who appears throughout le Carré’s interconnected world of Cold War espionage.
How Does Legacy of Spies Connect to the George Smiley Novels?
George Smiley appears in several of le Carré’s best-known books, including Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Honourable Schoolboy, and Smiley’s People. He also plays a role in The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, although Alec Leamas is the central figure in that story.
The later novel A Legacy of Spies revisited events and characters from those earlier books decades later, allowing le Carré to look back at some of the more troubling consequences of Cold War intelligence work. Drawing on both novels gives the TV series room to explore a broader section of Smiley’s world rather than simply remaking the famous 1965 film.
Macfadyen also follows some notable actors into the role. Alec Guinness played Smiley in the celebrated BBC adaptations of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Smiley’s People, while Gary Oldman took on the character in the 2011 film version of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Richard Burton previously played Alec Leamas in the 1965 film adaptation of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold.
Who’s in the Cast of Legacy of Spies?
Matthew Macfadyen (Succession, Spooks) stars as George Smiley, with Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy, The Gentlemen) as Alec Leamas.
Daniel Brühl (All Quiet on the Western Front, Rush) plays Josef Fiedler, while Devrim Lingnau Islamoğlu (The Empress) appears as Doris Quinz and Felix Kammerer (All Quiet on the Western Front) as Hans-Dieter Mundt. Agnes O’Casey (Ridley Road) plays Liz Gold.
Several other familiar characters from le Carré’s world will appear as well. Dan Stevens plays Bill Haydon, Jake Dunn is Peter Guillam, Anjana Vasan plays Connie Sachs, Charlotte Ritchie appears as Ann Smiley and Joe Alwyn takes on the role of Jim Prideaux.
Hugh Laurie plays Control, the head of the Circus. Laurie previously starred in another major le Carré adaptation, The Night Manager, as Richard Roper.
Who’s Making Legacy of Spies?
Stephen Cornwell and Clarissa Ingram wrote the eight-part series, with Cornwell also serving as showrunner. Cornwell is one of John le Carré’s sons and has previously worked on screen adaptations of his father’s work. Michael Lennox (Say Nothing) is lead director, with Claudia Llosa also directing.
The series is produced by The Ink Factory, the company behind The Night Manager, in co-production with Amusement Park Film and in association with 127 Wall Productions and Paramount Television Studios.
When Will Legacy of Spies Premiere?
They haven't announced an exact premiere date yet, but American viewers will be pleased to know a streaming outlet has already been confirmed: Legacy of Spies will premiere exclusively on MGM+ in the US. In the UK, it will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
The series is expected to arrive in 2027, but neither the BBC nor MGM+ has announced a specific date yet. We'll continue to keep an eye out for updates.
