Peacock's The Day of the Jackal has a surprising connection to Lee Child's Reacher- Here's how

Peacock's British spy thriller The Day of the Jackal and Prime Video's action thriller Reacher have a shocking connection that many might miss, and it is not the characters or plot. Turns out, Lee Child, the author behind the Jack Reacher series, was inspired by Frederick Forsyth's 1971 novel, The Day of the Jackal.

In The Guardian article, Lee Child revealed:

"I remember two things about the first full week of January 1972. I passed my driving test on Monday, and on the Friday, I made my weekly trip to the library and borrowed The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Froseyth. I gobbled up the book and thought it was fantastic – fast, pacy, exciting, suspenseful and laced with detail and intrigue. He created a year-zero thriller that reset the whole genre."

Lee Child further noted how Frederick Forsyth shared that he was unemployed and broke at the time when he started writing the book. The inspiration behind it was simple yet noteworthy. Since he was a journalist, he imagined noting down like a lengthy and detailed true crime feature based on real-life events. Lee Child continued:

"The result was a novel that changed the rules for all of us that came after."

The Day of the Jackal: Plot, cast, and more

The Peacock series The Day of the Jackal plunges viewers into a taut, international game of cat and mouse. Eddie Redmayne headlines as the merciless Jackal, a contract killer who slips effortlessly through disguises and global borders in pursuit of his next big hit. Then there is a dedicated MI6 agent, Bianca Pullman (Lashana Lynch), who strives to get hold of him anyhow.

The plot is inspired by Frederick Froseyth's novel The Day of the Jackal with a modern twist. It turned out to be a sleeper hit, but it obviously has its share of flaws. Some critics argue the narrative drags in spots, and the intelligence agent subplot lacks spark. Yet what the show does well is deliver suspense, style, and an incredible performance.

Cast details for The Day of the Jackal:

• Ursula Corbero plays Nuria, Jackal's wife'
• Khalid Abdalla plays Ulle Dag Charles
• Lia Williams plays Isabel Kirby
• Chukwudi Iwuji plays Osita
• Eleanor Matsuura plays Zina Jansone
• Others include: Jonjo O'Neill, Puchi Lagarde, Jon Arias, Charles Dance, Nick Blood, Sule Rimi, Patrick Kennedy, to name a few

The Day of the Jackal is available to stream on Peacock. It has been renewed for a second season, and the potential release time is around 2026.

Why is Lee Child's Reacher a must-watch?

Reacher on Prime Video is pure adrenaline. It is bold, sharp, and built with purpose. Alan Ritchson owns every frame as Jack Reacher. He is quiet, confident, and lethal when needed. It's not about flashy action sequences, but it's about strength and control.

The story hits hard. Reacher moves from town to town, fixing what others are too afraid to face. Each season pulls from Lee Child's bestselling novels. Season 1 drops him in Georgia, where secrets rot beneath a small town. Season 2 brings him back to his former army team. Season 3 dives into his past and tests his limits. The pacing is tight and the tension never fades.

What makes Reacher stand out is its sheer simplicity. No tricks, no unnecessary drama. Every punch, every stare, every silence has weight. The fights are real. The dialogue is quick and clean. Ritchson's Reacher doesn't talk much, but when he does, it matters.

Over a record-breaking 54M viewers tuned in within three weeks of Reacher Season 3. Reacher is easy to watch but hard to forget. It is tough, clever, and made for the people who crave thrills. All episodes are streaming on Amazon Prime.

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Also Read: The Day of the Jackal Episodes 1-5 recap: Will the Jackal eliminate the UDC?

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