Entertainment
Everything we know about The Day of the Jackal season 2-Pierra Willix-Entertainment – Metro
Many fans called it ‘the best show of the year’.
The political thriller The Day of the Jackal will be returning for a second season (Picture: Marcell Piti/ Peacock via AP)
***Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Day of the Jackal***
It may have only just ended however The Day of the Jackal fans are already counting down to find out what happens next.
The British political thriller quickly picked up fans when it hit screens last month, drawing in an audience of three million in the first week.
Based on 1971 book by Frederick Forsyth, the 10-episode series starred Eddie Redmayne as the titular character, an ‘unrivalled and highly elusive lone assassin’ who then faces a formidable rival in British intelligence officer Bianca (Lashana Lynch) when she starts to track him down.
Labelled by some viewers as ‘the best show of the year’, it came to an end with shocking scenes that saw Bianca ambushed by the Jackal and shot dead.
It was even more a plot twist considering the fact that in the novel and its 1973 adaptation it was in fact the assassin who met his demise.
Even before the first season ended, it had already been announced another had been commissioned. Here’s everything we know about The Day of the Jackal season 2.
Is The Day of the Jackal season 2 happening?
It is based on a 1971 book and stars Eddie Redmayne as an assassin (Picture: Marcell Piti/ Peacock via AP)
It was announced last month The Day of the Jackal would be returning for a second season.
The news was revealed by Sky on social media, who simply shared: ‘The Day of the Jackal will return for series 2.’
Fans were understandably ecstatic, with many saying it was ‘one of the best shows of the year’.
‘This series is such a gem. Deserves another season from I’ve been watching so far,’ Siyabonga posted on X.
‘Honestly, the most ridiculous show I’ve ever seen and yes, absolutely I want more,’ Sarrah added.
Others called the show ‘elite’ and ‘top tier’, adding they were ‘delighted’ more episodes were on their way.
However, during the final the next season was announced, with viewers frustrated after it ‘spoiled’ the fate of the Jackal.
When could The Day of the Jackal season 2’s release date be?
It will likely be at least another year for viewers to see season 2 (Picture: Marcell Piti)
Although it’s not yet been announced when the next season of The Day of the Jackal might air, there’s a chance viewers could be waiting until 2026.
Based on the production timeline for season 1, it’s been estimated how long it might be until the next hits screens.
Production on the first season took around seven months, with the show coming out about a year after filming ended.
If production on the next were to follow the same timeline, and it began early next year, it’s likely new episodes wouldn’t be out for at least another year.
The Day of the Jackal season 1’s ending explained – and what could happen in season 2
The next episodes will likely see him try and track down his wife (Ursula Corbero)(Picture: Marcell Piti)
In the final episode of The Day of the Jackal, Bianca closed in on the Jackal’s secret family home in Spain and appeared to have gained the upper hand however after he managed to hide in a secret room he then re-emerged and in shocking scenes, shot and killed her.
The last viewers saw was him watching over her as blood drained from her mouth.
Although no official details on season 2 have been released, there are plenty of unanswered questions it could address.
After his wife Nuria (Úrsula Corberó) fled with their son, it’s likely the Jackal will be looking to track down his family.
Meanwhile he could have another job on his hands after businesswoman Zina Jansone (Eleanor Matsuura) arranged a meeting with him and mentioned an unsettled debt and considered targeting her former employer, financier Timothy Winthrop (Charles Dance).
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There’s every chance the next season could follow the assassin balancing his demanding job and family life.
With Bianca dead, another intelligence officer or team could be introduced and take up the hunt for the killer.
Showrunner Gareth Neame explained why they initially ‘didn’t want to talk about a second season’ when working on the first.
‘There’s a finite ending to the novel and the movie. So, we didn’t really want to give any indication about that. But obviously, we’re TV producers, so it’s about hopefully multiple seasons and episodic [storytelling] and playing to the strengths of that,’ he told TomsGuide.
‘You never know whether you’re getting the second season or not. I don’t think you want too much of it planned so you can respond to what people you know enjoyed about the show and lean into all of the strengths,’ he added.
Meanwhile executive producer Nigel Marchant said it would continue to explore whether the Jackal could ‘have his cake and eat it’, balancing his home life and assassin work.
‘At the end of season 1 that’s fallen apart so the question in the second is, can you make that work? Or are they fundamentally opposed? Or certainly, that’s the question that we ask at the end of the first season.’
What has Eddie Redmayne said about taking on the iconic role?
Eddie admitted her was initially ‘tentative’ about working on the series (Picture: Marcell Piti/ Peacock via AP)
In 1973 The Day of the Jackal was turned into a film starring Edward Fox and went on to be widely regarded as one of the greatest political thrillers in cinema.
Speaking to Radio Times about taking on the role, Eddie admitted he was ‘tentative’ about working on the series.
‘I grew up watching Jackal. I had a battered old VHS of it. It’s a bit weird, but it was one of those movies that my family would sit and watch together,’ he said.
‘When I saw this in my inbox, I was pretty…you don’t want to mess with something as brilliant as this, so I was a bit tentative.
‘The thing I love about the original structure, which Ronan [Bennett, the writer of this new series] has managed to retain, is the odd idea that you have these two protagonists who are deeply morally compromised, making vicious choices, and yet you kind of warm to both of them.’
This article was initially published on November 22.
The Day of the Jackal is streaming on Sky Atlantic and NOW.
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