David Farnor | On 10, Oct 2018

Park Chan-Wook, Florence Pugh and Michael Shannon are heading to your living room this month, as BBC One unleashes The Little Drummer Girl.

The star-studded adaptation of the John le Carré novel marks a reunion between the AMC and BBC, following their hit co-production of The Night Manager. With the Oldboy director at the helm and Lady Macbeth’s Pugh in the starring role, the series has long been one of our most anticipated programmes of the year – and that was before the addition of Alexander Skarsgard and Michael Shannon to the cast.

The series follows a young actress, Charlie (Pugh), who strikes up an acquaintance with an intriguing stranger while on holiday in Greece, but it rapidly becomes apparent that his intentions are far from romantic. The man is Becker (Skarsgård), an Israeli intelligence officer, who entangles her in a complex and high stakes plot orchestrated by Israeli Spymaster Kurtz (Shannon). Set in the late 1970s, The Little Drummer Girl weaves a deceptively topical story of espionage and international intrigue, of love and betrayal.

The first two episodes of the series premiere at the London Film Festival on Sunday 14th October and Monday 15th October, and will go on to screen on BBC One later this month. For more TV highlights in the coming weeks, see our October Watchlist, or read on for the show’s new trailer:

 

Michael Shannon joins Florence Pugh in BBC One’s The Little Drummer Girl

26th January 2018

Michael Shannon as joined BBC One’s star-studded John le Carré drama, The Little Drummer Girl.

The six-part adaptation of the bestselling novel was announced earlier this year, marking a reunion for the AMC and BBC, following their hit co-production of The Night Manager. With Park Chan-wook (Oldboy) at the helm and Florence Pugh (Lady Macbeth) in the starring role, the series is already one of our most anticipated programmes – and now, the project has added another big name: Michael Shannon.

The Shape of Water and Nocturnal Animals star joins Pugh and Alexander Skarsgård (Big Little Lies, True Blood) in the tale of a young actress Charlie (Pugh), who strikes up an acquaintance with an intriguing stranger while on holiday in Greece, but it rapidly becomes apparent that his intentions are far from romantic. The man is Becker (Skarsgård), an Israeli intelligence officer, who entangles her in a complex and high stakes plot orchestrated by Israeli Spymaster Kurtz (Shannon). Set in the late 1970s, but described by the BBC as “sharply contemporary”, The Little Drummer Girl weaves a story of espionage and international intrigue, of love and betrayal.

The series will be financed and produced by The Ink Factory in partnership with 127 Wall and co-producers the BBC and AMC. Laura Hastings-Smith (Howards End, Macbeth and Hunger) will work as Producer with Simon and Stephen Cornwell serving as Executive Producers alongside John le Carré, Mona Qureshi for the BBC, Joe Tsai and Arthur Wang for 127 Wall, Wonjo Jeong, and Park Chan-wook.

Simon and Stephen Cornwell, co-CEOs and Founders of The Ink Factory, comment: “Michael is an actor of the highest calibre, and we are excited to welcome him to the stellar group of talent this project is amassing. Under the direction of a consummate auteur and opposite two equally dynamic actors – we are confident that he will channel the complex combination of tension and gravitas within Kurtz which is shot through the narrative.”

Chan-wook adds: “The first time I saw Michael was as one of the genius actors who delivered wonderful performances in Revolutionary Road, and ever since I’ve remained his loyal fan. I believe Michael will make the perfect Kurtz, a man scarred by history and carrying burdens all too heavy on his shoulders, an Israeli ‘Captain Ahab’ obsessed by his biggest and most elusive nemesis yet.”

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