The Night Agent season 3 is not releasing anytime soon, but while waiting for its release, audiences can check out another compelling spy thriller series that stars Eddie Redmayne. Based on Matthew Quirk’s novel of the same name, The Night Agent loosely adapted its source material in its opening season. However, after earning critical acclaim and becoming widely successful, the show was renewed for another season, which extended beyond the source material and presented an original storyline.

Even after its second run, The Night Agent proved to be a valuable IP for the streaming giant, prompting it to confirm its return for another installment. Unfortunately, Netflix has yet to announce The Night Agent season 3‘s release date. Its production is already underway, but it will be a while before it releases on Netflix. While waiting for the hit series’ return, viewers can watch a returning 85% Rotten Tomatoes show, which is also based on an acclaimed spy thriller novel and has Eddie Redmayne as its lead.

The Day Of The Jackal Is A Great Action Thriller To Watch While Waiting For The Night Agent’s Return

The Eddie Redmayne Series Never Leaves A Dull Moment With Its Action & Drama

Instead of being another typical spy thriller that jumps from one action set piece to another, The Day of the Jackal draws viewers into its narrative by introducing many political elements. Although The Day of the Jackal is far more cerebral and deliberate with its procedural storytelling approach, it features a lone protagonist who seems similar to The Night Agent‘s Peter Sutherland in more ways than one. Similar to Gabriel Basso’s Sutherland, Eddie Redmayne’s titular protagonist is a highly competent underdog who carefully navigates the world of deception around him.

While the action sequences and methodical approaches of the main characters in both series are enough to keep viewers intrigued, both shows further immerse viewers in their thrilling dramas by ensuring there is always a ticking clock over the protagonists. This is further amplified by the layer of realism the shows ground themselves in. Similar to Gabriel Basso, Eddie Redmayne is charismatic as The Day of the Jackal‘s lead but also has an incredibly calm intensity that makes his character even more appealing.

Netflix’s The Night Agent often seems to struggle to rise above the regular fare of spy thrillers. Even though it has performed fairly well among viewers and critics, The Night Agent has often been criticized for its inability to take risks and etch its own identity in the genre. The Day of the Jackal, in contrast, dares to feature a protagonist whose morals seem both complex and confusing. With his brilliant performance, Redmayne adds even more heft to the air of mystery and unexplained allure surrounding his character.

The Day Of The Jackal & The Night Agent Are Both Book Adaptations That Go Beyond Their Source Material

The Day Of The Jackal Adapts Frederick Forsyth’s Novel Of The Same Name

Just like The Night Agent brings Matthew Quirk’s story beats from a novel of the same name to the small screen, The Day of the Jackal adapts Frederick Forsyth’s novel. The original Forsyth novel was first adapted into a 1973 film, which was directed by Fred Zinnemann. Despite sharing its name with the movie, however, The Day of the Jackal does not shy away from significantly drifting away from its source. Like The Night Agent, The Day of the Jackal borrows many foundational story beats and characters from its original novel.

However, as the show progresses, it moves further away from its source as it shrouds the Jackal’s motives and morals in mystery. For obvious reasons, the show also modernizes the original novel’s setting, which was published in 1971. Jackal also has little to no emotional ties in the novel. The show, in contrast, shows that he lives a double life and also has a wife and a child. All in all, even though The Day of the Jackal is not a replacement for The Night Agent, it is a great addition to the spy thriller genre, making it the perfect series to watch while waiting for the Netflix show’s season 3.