Joe Cole Is Coming To AMC+ In 'The Ipcress File'
When ITV announced in 2020 it was remaking the 1965 film The Ipcress File into a TV series, it was one of the hottest announcements in a cold year for both film and TV. Based on Len Deighton's 1962 debut novel The IPCRESS File, the original film starred a young Michael Caine. It was a critical darling as a dark-and-gritty alternate look at the world of espionage than presented by the trendy James Bond films of the era. The film won the BAFTA for the movie of the year and spawned four sequels, all told, two in the 60s and two more in the mids-1990s, with Caine returning to reprise his role as British spy Harry Palmer 30 years on.
It seemed a sure thing that the new The Ipcress File would come to America in some form or another, though whether or not that would go to Masterpiece or become the subject of a streaming bidding war was uncertain. Last month, the answer finally landed that the series would go to AMC Networks, who will stream the six-part thriller on its flagship streaming service, AMC+. Whether or not the network decides to put it on linear for its cable channel AMC or spread it across streaming services to sister SVODs Sundance Now and Acorn TV was not mentioned.
The series stars a British who's who both in front of and behind the camera. Joe Cole, best known for Peaky Blinders and AMC+'s Gangs Of London, takes the role originated by Caine as Harry Palmer. Lucy Boynton, who is soon set to star in Amazon's Why Didn't They Ask Evans, will take the role of love interest Jean Courtney and Tom Hollander (Us) as Palmer's boss, Major Dalby. Executive producers include The Crown's Andrew Eaton, with all scripts by BAFTA-winning Trainspotting writer John Hodge, and Black Mirror director James Watkins helming all six episodes.
