Everything you need to know about Sky drama series, The Day of the Jackal
The Day of the Jackal is a brand new thriller based on the classic 1971 book by Frederick Forsyth about a lone wolf and his global scale threat.
The official synopsis, from Sky, reads:
“An unrivalled and highly elusive lone assassin, the Jackal, makes his living carrying out hits for the highest fee. But following his latest kill, he meets his match in a tenacious British intelligence officer who starts to track down the Jackal in a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase across Europe, leaving destruction in its wake.”
With a fresh twist on the source material, including the subsequent award-winning 1973 film from Universal Pictures, The Day of the Jackal promises a chase across the world as the hunter becomes the hunted.
Launching in November 2024, The Day of the Jackal became the biggest Sky Original ever, celebrating the biggest debut on Sky in over two years, and drawing a record audience of three million viewers in its first week.
Watch the trailer
Who stars in The Day of the Jackal?
Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything, Les Miserables) as The Jackal
Lashana Lynch (Captain Marvel, No Time To Die) as Bianca
Úrsula Corberó (Money Heist, Snatch) as Nuria
Charles Dance (Game Of Thrones, The Crown) as Timothy Winthorp
Richard Dormer (Fortitude, Rellik) as Norman
Chukwudi Iwuji (Designated Survivor, The Split) as Osita Halcrow
Lia Williams (His Dark Materials, Mr Bates Vs The Post Office) as Isabel Kirby
Khalid Abdalla (The Kite Runner, The Crown) as Ulle Dag Charles
Eleanor Matsuura (The Walking Dead, Wonder Woman) as Zina Jansone
Jonjo O'Neill (The Fall, Bad Sisters) as Edward Carver
Sule Rimi (Andor, Black Earth Rising) as Paul Pullman
Find out more about the cast and characters of the show here.
Is The Day of the Jackal connected to the movie?
No. The 1973 movie, starring Edward Fox and Michael Lonsdale, follows the novel far more closely, having been released so close to the book’s launch.
While The Day of the Jackal follows the core elements and plot points of the series, it has been reimagined for the modern day, putting a fresh new take on the literary masterpiece.
The show also pays homage to the original film by recreating scenes shot-for-shot.
Will there be a season 2 of The Day of the Jackal?
Yes. Following the success of the first series, Sky announced that season two of The Day of the Jackal has been given the go-ahead.
A release date is yet to be confirmed, but is currently believed to be at some point in 2026.
What is the age rating of The Day of the Jackal?
The Day of the Jackal is rated 15 by the British Board of Film Classification.
This means the show has been deemed unsuitable for children and young teenagers.
This is due to the show containing:
Depictions of murder and creative kills
Some intense scenes of blood and gore
Scenes of intense peril and threat
Scenes of a sexual nature
Frequent depictions of violence including use of guns
Portrayals of warfare and war crimes, particularly in relation to Afghanistan
Depictions of suicide
Distressing scenes some may find upsetting
Who sings the theme song for The Day of the Jackal?
The title song is This Is Who I Am by the BRIT Award-winning singer Celeste.
It was chosen by Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch, who both star and co-executive produce the show.
Celeste explained: “This song has existed for a long time, and it felt almost unjust that circumstances didn’t allow it to come out four years ago. Now, with everything aligning, this moment serves as a powerful acknowledgement of something that, back then, felt unresolved.”
How can I watch The Day of the Jackal?
Sky is the official, exclusive home of The Day of the Jackal in the UK.
It is not available on any other streaming service such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video or Disney+.
In the US, it is available on Peacock.
You can watch it on Sky Atlantic, or stream it on Sky Go and NOW.
