Aahana Swrup
Peacock’s spy thriller show ‘The Day of the Jackal’ had its fans on the edge of their seats throughout its 10-episode run in season 1. The critically acclaimed show carries on the mantle of a beloved cinematic and literary assassin. For its first season, the story primarily focuses on the thrilling chase where the titular Jackal finds himself a hunter on his tail: the unrelenting British intelligence officer Bianca Pullman. Simultaneously, he also tries to keep his iron-clad grip on the longstanding secret identity he has maintained in front of his wife, Nuria.
In the end, both of these storylines come to explosive and entirely unexpected conclusions. Yet, there are still many loose ends left to tie up. As a result, ever since November 2024, when the news of the renewal for season 2 arrived, fans have been eagerly awaiting the show’s return. Since filming is set to begin sometime in January 2026, with Budapest, Croatia, and London as key locations, The Day of the Jackal Season 2 is expected to release sometime in early 2027.
The Day of the Jackal Season 2 Will Focus on the Assassin and Nuria’s Marriage
At the end of season 1, ‘The Day of the Jackal’ finds its protagonist in an unprecedented predicament. For years, Jackal has been used to picking up jobs and finishing them without encountering any tempestuous waters. In the off-times, he lives out his fantasies of a domestic life as “Charles” with wife, Nuria, by his side. However, his striking rivalry with Bianca Pullman turns his whole life upside down. As a result, by the time he’s able to shake off the remnants of this job, he has lost the control he had on his personal life. Once Nuria realizes the real Jackal who lives under the mask of her picture-perfect husband, Charles, she takes her newborn son, Carlitos, and bolts to ensure their safety. Therefore, it’s more or less a given that season 2 will primarily focus on this newfound splinter in Jackal’s life.
As the ending of season 1 suggests, the next season will pick up with Jackal on the hunt after Nuria and Carlitos. However, this time around it won’t be a simple in-and-out job. Even if the assassin manages to find his family fairly quickly, the real uphill battle will reside in winning over Nuria’s trust again. After discovering that her entire life with her husband had been built on lies, the woman is understandably wary of trusting the man with their son’s life or even her own. Nevertheless, despite the recent tumultuous developments in their marriage, it seems like Jackal hasn’t yet given up on their relationship. Therefore, we can expect the next installment in the series to heavily focus on a new facet of the couple’s dynamic. Consequently, it’s also possible that in an effort to win his wife over, the assassin may delve further into his own past, enriching the narrative with more of his backstory.
Eddie Redmayne Will Lead Season 2 of The Day of the Jackal With Some New and Old Faces
Since season 2 is still in its early days of development and production, precise details remain uncertain at the time. Even so, fans can rest assured that actor Eddie Redmayne, who plays the titular role of Jackal, will be returning for season 2. The Oscar-winning actor has previously spoken about how he had signed onto the project, hoping it would turn out to be a multi-season series. Therefore, there’s no doubt about the fact that Redmayne and his Jackal will certainly take on the narrative’s helm once again. Similarly, since the new season is sure to dive into the life of the assassin, Úrsula Corberó, who embodies the role of his wife, Nuria, will also most likely reprise her role. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the previous co-lead, Lashana Lynch, whose character Bianca suffered a tragic death at the end of the last installment.
Inversely, since Bianca has taken a sure-footed exit from the show, we can expect a new rival to take the charge against the international assassin. It’s possible that this new enemy would be a familiar face. If this happens, MI6 agents Osita Halcrow (Chukwudi Iwuji) or Vince Pyne (Nick Blood), who have already crossed paths with Jackal, could be potential candidates. However, it’s just as likely that the show would introduce an entirely new character for the job. In fact, it is possible that the show will finally bring on Claude Lebel, a known rival of the assassin in both the film and the novel. On the other hand, considering the season is being shot partly in London, the possibility remains that familiar MI6 faces will be making a return. Likewise, Eleanor Matsuura (Zina) and Charles Dance (Timothy Winthorp) are also expected to return to reprise their narratively relevant roles.
The Show Can Explore a Possible Partnership Between Jackal and Nina in Season 2
Although not much is known about the direction that the storyline is bound to take in season 2, there’s one avenue that seems inevitable. Previously, Jackal was hired by Timothy Winthorp to carry out the assassination of one Ulle Dag Charles. Zina Jansone, a formidable woman, is assigned to be the liaison on the deal between the two parties. Despite the unexpected complications along the way, the assassin completes the job. Still, he’s scammed out of the proper financial compensation for the job. Worse yet, in an effort of gross self-preservation, Winthorp sends out bounties on both Jackal and Nina to take them out of the game forever.
Fortunately, both Nina and Jackal are able to flee with their lives. Naturally, this puts Winthorp at the top of their hit list. Even though the latter expresses his prioritized interest in tracking down his family, it’s possible that he would eventually team up with Nina to solve the Winthorp problem. So far, we have only gotten hints of the assassin teaming up with someone to shed his lone wolf persona. Therefore, this could be an interesting avenue to undertake. Furthermore, it could also lead to a possible storyline revolving around Gary, Jackal’s old spotter from his life as Alexander Duggan. Thus, it seems fans of the show can expect a wild ride ahead of them!
Read More: Where is The Day of the Jackal Filmed?
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