The Night Manager Executive Producer options Gordon Corera’s book on Russian espionage against the West
Stephen Garrett, Executive Producer of The Night Manager and the forthcoming HBO series The Undoing, has optioned the TV rights to BBC Security Correspondent Gordon Corera’s non-fiction book RUSSIANS AMONG US.
The rights were sold before publication to Garrett’s award-winning production company, Character Seven. The series will be executive produced by Garrett and Character 7’s Head of Development Michele Wolkoff, who worked closely with Garrett on the acquisition.
RUSSIANS AMONG US tells the inside story of Putin’s growing espionage campaign in the West, the Russian ‘deep cover’ spies who penetrated the US and the long-running FBI hunt to capture them.
Garrett said: ‘I’ve always found spy stories to be compelling recipes for a thriller. Spies not only lie for a living, but they have to lie to their nearest and dearest, too. Gordon Corera has unearthed a jaw-dropping tale — and all the more jaw-dropping for being as zeitgeisty as it is true. It’s terrifying and hilarious in equal measure. I could not be more excited to be bringing it to the screen.’
Corera said: ‘I'm overjoyed that someone with Stephen’s track record, particularly for creating landmark shows in this area, has seen the potential of this story, and how timely it is. I can't wait to see how he brings to the screen the remarkable, important - and occasionally deadly - story of Russia's spy war with the West.’
Corera has been the BBC’s security correspondent since 2004. He is the only journalist to have interviewed serving heads of both the CIA and MI6, and has reported regularly from Washington and Moscow, as well as London.
His previous books include THE ART OF BETRAYAL: The Secret History of MI6 (W&N 2011) , INTERCEPT: The Secret History of Computers and Spies (W&N 2015) and, most recently, SECRET PIGEON SERVICE: Operation Columba, Resistance and the Struggle to Liberate Europe (William Collins 2018).
RUSSIANS AMONG US: Sleeper Cells, Ghost Stories and the Hunt for Putin’s Spies is published on 18th February in the US (William Morrow) and on 20th February in the UK (William Collins).
The announcement is available on BookBrunch and Deadline,
