Would you pony up for a sequel to Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy?

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

Gary Oldman‘s singularly driven and commanding performance aside, I wasn’t the biggest fan of TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY.  Being an complete devotee of director Tomas Alfredson‘s previous film (LET THE RIGHT ONE IN) and a lover of the last time we saw a John Le Carre adaptation in cinemas (2005’s THE CONSTANT GARDNER), I sloughed off anybody who claimed that they were bored by his spy thriller and made my way to the cinema the moment it released in the states.  Suffice it to say… I have found circumstances where shite literally dried on the wall (HUNGER) more exciting and engaging, though I know it’s merely a matter of personal preference.

But I gather that plenty of you out there liked it, and its worldwide total of $80 million is nothing to sneeze at considering how that figure is more than the budget. Now, even back during production, Alfredson and Oldman spoke about possibly reuiniting for an adaptation of the sequel novel SMILEY’S PEOPLE.  And while I never expected much to come of it, I’m here today to tell you that producing studio head Tim Fellner (of Working Title) has confirmed that a sequel is indeed in the initial planning stages:  “We are working on another one. [Producer] Tim Bevan is putting it together as we speak with [screenwriter] Peter Straughan and Tomas Alfredson, so yes it’s in development… It did unbelievably well and it didn’t cost hardly anything… But things take time.  Tim is passionate about making sure we do another one.”

So there you have it.  Fans of Alfredson and the John Le Carre source novels, rest assured that more may yet be on the way.  Just, you know, don’t hold your breath yet.  Even the most passionate of projects take time to get going, and especially so when it comes to something as unique and deliberate as what Alfredson/Oldman created.