Warning: spoilers for Black Bag are in play.
I don’t know how to feel about Black Bag being available on streaming this early. Released into theaters this past March, Steven Soderbergh’s ultra slick offering to the 2025 movie schedule deserved to see more of an audience when it hit theaters. However, with the Michael Fassbender/Cate Blanchett-led ensemble now available for those of you with a Peacock subscription, you can enjoy the fun and games for yourself.
Which is good, because after rewatching the flick for myself, I’m convinced that Mr. Fassbender needs to expand his career in cinematic espionage…and not by becoming the lead of James Bond 26.
Michael Fassbender Has Been A James Bond Favorite, But I Favor Him As The Next George Smiley
The list of actors that could have been amazing 007s continues to grow, as Michael Fassbender sadly aged out of the role some time ago. Which is ok, because I honestly wonder if an actor who’s made something like Black Bag would even want to jump into the tuxedo.
Going from a darkly comic R-rated funhouse of deception to the ranks of the James Bond movies might feel a bit limiting. However, when watching writer David Koepp’s script unfold once again, I was further convinced that the X-Men movie vet would be more of a fit for author John le Carré’s world-weary spy, George Smiley.
Most famously appearing in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, we’ve seen Smiley on the small and big screen, with Sir Alec Guinness and Gary Oldman playing the part in those respective versions. And while that latter option wasn’t too long ago, the odds of getting a sequel to the Oldman variant are pretty low.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Is (Unfortunately) Ripe For A Reboot
It’s not ideal that 2011’s Oscar-winning adaptation never did get the follow-up it deserved, but the reason behind that fact can only be argued so much. Per a 2024 interview with RadioTimes, Gary Oldman’s manager, Douglas Urbanski, admitted that when the rights to the films reverted back to the estate of the late author, interest in making that long elusive sequel evaporated.
On one hand, at least the Slow Horses actor has that spy series to keep him busy. But on the other hand, that probably means restarting the story, with Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy kicking off. Considering where the spy movie market is right now, it's definitely the right time.
We've already seen this mindset take hold, thanks to stories of the Bourne franchise’s potential reboot. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy will probably be one of the other spy pictures due for reinvention, especially with that modern film version having such a positive reputation.
Much as the first wave of Bourne arose from the waning of the classic 007 franchise, the competition of a more nuanced and complexly dramatic espionage tale is probably what the market needs. And no matter how much Steven Soderbergh meant to tip his hat towards those novels, it's this very movie that's convinced me that it could - and should - happen.
Black Bag’s George Woodhouse Is A Perfect Case For Michael Fassbender’s Casting
A new incarnation calls for a new George Smiley, and that hypothetical problem seems pretty well solved. At least, that depends on your feelings about Black Bag’s George Woodhouse. A man who isn’t afraid to lure would-be traitors into confessions…even if they’re his friends or family, our hero abhors liars.
That mindset is our window into the world of Black Bag, and there’s not a false note hit during the entirety of the sting operation at hand. Following his every move, and every single insecurity that comes along the way, we’re firmly planted in his viewpoint, with a cast of characters moving quickly in and out of his orbit.
Which is basically what we see Smiley do in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Embarking on a mole hunt that's meant to root out a traitor to The Circus, the major difference between these two franchises (besides tone) would be the time period. Which, coincidentally, could also scratch that retro-spy itch folks feel every time they hear a rumor that Henry Cavill is going to remake the classic James Bond movies.
While Steven Soderbergh’s cat and mouse game is more darkly comic, and becomes more of a relationship dramedy upon second viewing, the Fassbender performance in Black Bag is a perfect training ground for an aspiring George Smiley. Take away the happy-ish ending and increase the paranoid tension, and you’ve got the John le Carré mood board in a nutshell.
And that could go a long way towards the long-term fortunes of the Karla Trilogy and the vast network of books it connects to. Which is almost a sort of blank check for Michael Fassbender to cash in as much, or as little, as he'd want.
The George Smiley Novels Open A Huge Potential Cinematic Universe
While George Smiley isn’t in all of John le Carré’s stories, the man and his legacy do connect pretty tightly to a sprawling web of intrigue. So even if Michael Fassbender weren’t up for too much of a long-term commitment past adapting The Karla Trilogy, that hypothetical scenario wouldn’t prevent him from committing.
All the while, the expanded story includes classics like The Spy Who Came in from the Cold to build the story further, without too much involvement from Fassbender. That’s because George Smiley appears throughout 10 novels in the canon started by le Carré, so far. (A statement that leaves room for further midquel novels currently being written by author/John le Carré's son Nick Harkaway.)
Through prequels and sequels that tackle the man’s early career and his retirement, there’s room to both recast the younger Smiley and his older counterpart. And if Fassbender wants to stay in the game, accommodations could be made in a post-MCU world of makeup and CGI applications.
The story of George Smiley seems to pivot on Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and the rest of the Karla Trilogy. So long as Michael Fassbender locks that in, the foundation for the rest could easily fall into place. And if you want to see why I’ve been inspired to talk up this instance of dream casting, you can catch one of the coolest spies not named James Bond, as Black Bag is now streaming on Peacock.
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