Charlie Hunnam has been quite busy as of late. After starring in the latest iteration of Netflix’s Monster as serial killer Ed Gein during the 2025 TV schedule, he’s returning for the fourth season of Ryan Murphy’s anthology, which centers on Lizzie Borden. Now, Hunnam is shifting from the unsettling realm of serial killers to the espionage-centric world of spies for a new streaming show from John le Carré.
BBC and MGM+ announced Hunnam will lead Legacy of Spies, with Matthew Macfadyen, Daniel Brühl, and Devim Lingnau Islamoğlu also part of the project. Hailing from Independent studio The Ink in co-production with Berlin-based label Amusement Park Film, the show will see Hunnam portray British intelligence officer Alec Leamas. The eight-episode series is based on le Carré’s 1963 best-selling novel The Spy Who Came In From the Cold but will also draw inspiration from his 2017 novel, A Legacy of Spies. The synopsis for The Spy Who Came In From The Cold reads as follows:
Alec Leamas watches his last agent shot dead by East German sentries. For Leamas, a senior British intelligence officer in Berlin, the Cold War is over. As he faces the prospect of retirement or worse—a desk job—Control offers him a unique opportunity for revenge. Assuming the guise of an embittered and dissolute ex-agent, Leamas is set up to trap Mundt, the deputy director of the East German Intelligence Service, with himself as the bait. In the background is George Smiley, ready to make the game play out just as Control wants.
Stephen Cornwell is taking on writing duties here alongside Clarissa Ingram. The story will be set across the UK and what was East and West Germany and Czechoslovakia. Considering that, it sounds like fans can look forward to a series that presents some distinct locales. Such an approach is essential when telling a spy story that includes international intrigue.
Charlie Hunnam won't just star on the show either. As revealed in the press release, the Sons of Anarchy alum will also serve as an executive producer on the show. Hunnam held that same title on Monster as well.
I like the idea of Hunnam a spy rather than a serial killer in this new streaming series. While he really honed in on Ed Gein’s personality and characteristics, I'm ready to see him take on a role that may allow him to exude more charm. Hunnam has played some interesting roles over the years, but the notion of him playing a seasoned spy is just too cool. I'm optimistic that the actor will crush the role.
Aside from Legacy of Spies, Charlie Hunnam has another new show that I'm pumped about. He's starring in the new Amazon series Criminal with Garrett Hedlund, which also sounds thrilling. So fans of Hunnam are going to be well fed for the foreseeable future
Additional information for Legacy of Spies has not been revealed but, hopefully, additionally details will arrive in the coming months. Here's hoping that Hunnam manages to play a spy as well as he portrays a serial killer or biker. In the meantime, check out Monster: The Ed Gein Story with a Netflix subscription.
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