BBC orders new John Le Carré adaptation from makers of ‘The Night Manager’

New details have been confirmed for the BBC’s adaptation of John le Carré’s best-selling literary masterpiece The Little Drummer Girl.

The team behind last year’s hit adaptation of le Carré’s The Night Manager – The Ink Factory, BBC and AMC – have announced that the six-part mini-series will be directed by acclaimed filmmaker Park Chan-wook (Old Boy, The Handmaiden, Stoker), in his television debut.

The official synopsis reads: “Set in the late 1970s, The Little Drummer Girl weaves a dynamic and exciting story of espionage and international intrigue; of love and betrayal. In this high-stakes drama, set against the background of rising tensions in the Middle East, a young, brilliant actress Charlie prepares for her ultimate role in ‘the theatre of the real’.”

Florence Pugh (Lady Macbeth) will star as Charlie, once she’s completed filming on the BBC’s new adaptation of King Lear.

Simon and Stephen Cornwell, co-CEOs and Founders of The Ink Factory commented: “With The Little Drummer Girl we are embarking on an extraordinary journey. It is exhilarating to see one of le Carré’s greatest novels take shape for the screen in the hands of such a brilliantly talented team.

“Park Chan-wook is a master filmmaker at the height of his powers. His passion for the project and his vision are utterly compelling. Florence Pugh is an exciting actor whose Charlie will lead us on a heart-wrenching journey, and the team behind the camera assembled under Laura Hastings-Smith’s steadfast leadership is unparalleled.”

Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama, added: “We are thrilled by the extraordinary array of talents which The Ink Factory are assembling to bring this iconic le Carré story to the screen. The combination of Director Park’s passion for this title and the huge screen presence of Florence Pugh will make for a real drama event when Little Drummer Girl premieres on BBC One.”

The Night Manager is out now on DVD.

The Little Drummer Girl will begin filming in January 2018. The series is expected to air in 2018 on BBC One in the UK and on AMC in the US.