Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston are to star in ‘The Night Manager’.
The 55-year-old actor and the ‘Thor’ star will take on the lead roles in the upcoming six-part series based on John le Carré’s espionage novel of the same name, which is to be directed by Susanne Bier.
Hugh said: "I loved The Night Manager when it was published, and for more than 20 years have yearned to see it realized on screen. I am now thrilled and honoured to have the frontest of front row seats. All the moving parts are finely machined – we just have to not mess it up."
The project – which is to be co-produced by BBC One, The Ink Factory and AMC – will be the first TV adaptation of a le Carré novel for over 20 years and will bring together love, loss and revenge in a complex story of crime.
The drama will follow former British soldier Jonathan Pine (Hiddleston) as he navigates the hidden secrets of Whitehall and Washington, where an unholy alliance operates between the intelligence community and secret arms trade.
In order to infiltrate the inner circle of lethal arms dealer Richard Onslow Roper (Laurie), Pine will be forced to become a criminal himself.
Tom said of the challenging role: "Jonathan Pine is a thrilling prospect … The most mysterious and complex kind of British hero. It’s an honour and a privilege to work with such truly impeccable collaborators as Hugh Laurie and Susanne Bier in bringing this to screen."
Filming on ‘The Night Manager’ is set to begin later this year.
Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston for The Night Manager
