Universal Pictures Acquires Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

News

Deadline is reporting that Universal Pictures has acquired domestic distribution rights to Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, the Tomas Alfredson-directed adaptation of the John Le Carre novel. The film supports and impressive cast list that includes Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Mark Strong and Ciaran Hinds.

The project was a hot potato over in Berlin, where buyers watched several minutes of footage and thumbed through the script. Universal had a first look deal with Working Title but did not exercise it initially. So smaller outfits Summit Entertainment and The Weinstein Company went fishing for it. A bidding war ensued and the domestic rights went upwards of $5 million.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is a Cold War tale, where retired espionage vet named George Smiley (Oldman) is pulled away from his semi-retirement to ferret out a Soviet agent in MI6. While Firth is riding high after his Best Actor victory for The King’s Speech and Tom Hardy and director Christopher Nolan are best buds after Inception and the future blockbuster The Dark Knight Rises, the word on the street is that this is another showcase role for Gary Oldman.

Though there is no release date planned as of yet, it is expected to open in theaters in November or December.

Travis Leamons is one of the Inside Pulse Originals and currently holds the position of Managing Editor at Inside Pulse Movies. He's told that the position is his until he's dead or if "The Boss" can find somebody better. I expect the best and I give the best. Here's the beer. Here's the entertainment. Now have fun. That's an order!