Political thrillers have made something of a comeback in recent years. Shows like House of Cards and The Newsroom have proven that, while they don't necessarily fit the strict structure of previous genre works, people are definitely still interested in conspiracy theories and intricately detailed plots. John le Carre is quite possibly one of the most prolific authors of the entire genre, and his work has been adapted to the screen on numerous occasions. If the reports coming in are true, it seems another one of the author's works will meet the screen.
According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston will be coming together as part of an upcoming adaptation of John Le Carre's spy thriller, The Night Manager.
THR reports that BBC will be heading up the project, with the Ink Factory as producers. A number of U.S. studios are currently involved in negotiations, and it's quite possible that the show will skip a traditional pilot and head straight to series. Otherwise, there are still very few details about the project.
The Night Manager will be Hugh Laurie's first television role since Fox's House ended in 2012. Since then, he has worked on a number of different projects, including the independent film The Oranges. Laurie was also in talks to play the role of Raymond Sellars in the 2014 RoboCop remake, though negotiations eventually fell through.
For Tom Hiddleston, The Night Manager will be one of his largest television roles in his career so far. Recently, the actor has been incredibly busy with multiple different film projects at once (especially as Marvel Studio's Loki), though that doesn't mean Hiddleston's a stranger to TV work: the actor previously played King Henry V in the television movie Henry V, and appeared as Prince Hal in BBC's The Hollow Crown.
Previously, the rights to The Night Manager were picked up by Paramount Pictures, and Brad Pitt was set to play the lead. That was 2009, however, and the film has since gone dark. No official word of its cancellation has been given, but considering it's been five years since the public has heard anything about the production, it's safe to say that the project is dead.
This will not be the first time one of le Carre's works has been adapted for the screen. Tinker Tailor Solider Spy, A Most Wanted Man and The Constant Gardener were all adapted into films recently, with the former being nominated for several Academy Awards.
It's currently unknown when the show will enter production, but considering how studio negotiations are still going on and how busy the two actors are, it could be some time before The Night Manager actually makes it to air.
Photos: Melinda Seckington, Jack Guy/Corbis Outline (cropped)
