The Lone Assassin in Peacock's 'The Day of the Jackal' Reboot Has a New Target

The lone assassin known only as “The Jackal” is getting a reboot, but don’t expect him to target the same world leaders his 1970s predecessor once did.

In August 1962, legendary French general and President Charles De Gaulle was with his wife and entourage, driving through the Paris suburb of Petit-Clamart when their vehicle was suddenly sprayed with machine gunfire from three shooters. Though all escaped unharmed, the assassins missed De Gaulle’s head by mere inches. The planner and lookout of the attempt, French Air Force Lt. Col. Jean-Marie Bastien-Thiry, was tried, convicted and executed by firing squad.

The attempt on De Gaulle became a critical event in Frederick Forsyth's 1971 novel “The Day of the Jackal,” as well as the 1973 film of the same name. Actor Eddie Redmayne (“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”) will star as the assassin for hire in Peacock’s upcoming series, which is a remake of the original movie, but De Gaulle won’t be a target.

The main reason De Gaulle won’t find himself in the crosshairs is that the World War II general died in 1970, and Peacock’s “The Day of the Jackal” is set in the present day. The original book and film borrowed from history, so the new series might also do the same -- and there’s no shortage of real-world assassinations and attempts to choose from.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was killed in July 2022 by a lone gunman armed with a homemade gun. Haiti’s president, Jovenel Moïse, was assassinated in 2021 by masterminds linked to his own prime minister. And in 2018, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro survived explosive-laden drones flying at him as he delivered a speech. It’s unlikely that the recent attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life will be featured, since it occurred after “The Day of the Jackal” wrapped production.

The titular Jackal is an effective, elusive and highly skilled assassin available for hire by the highest bidder. After his latest successful elimination, he finds himself on the run from a British intelligence officer, played by Lashana Lynch (“The Woman King”). Their deadly chase across Europe is punctuated by ongoing geopolitical events, adding to the historical fiction element of the series.

While the official descriptions of the series aren't clear as to what those events involve, we have a few guesses. The Jackal might try to elude the British in the fighting that continues in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Russian-occupied Crimea or amid the ongoing Russian sabotage campaign occurring across Western Europe. There are areas of Europe that are experiencing lesser crises on the continent, such as the backlash against migrants fleeing the Middle East and North Africa and political unrest in Western democracies -- but something involving Russia is likely the Jackal’s best chance of escape.

Joining “The Day of the Jackal” cast are Úrsula Corberó (“Money Heist”), Charles Dance (“Game of Thrones”), Ben Hall (“Best Man”), Sule Rimi (“Andor”), Lucy Russell (“Andor”) and Russell Balogh (“The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare”). The original author, Frederick Forsyth, served as a consulting producer.

“The Day of the Jackal” premieres Nov. 7, 2024, on Peacock.

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