Tom Hardy replaces Michael Fassbender in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Casting for the Tomas Alfredson (LET THE RIGHT ONE IN) adaptation of TINKER, TAILOR, SOLIDER, SPY has been solidifying in recent months. The latest bit of news is that Michael Fassbender (CENTURION) will NOT be in the film due to his commitments on X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, which just began filming this week. But fret not, as the great Tom Hardy (INCEPTION) will be replacing him.

Hardy, who will be playing Ricky Tarr in the British spy film, is joining a real dynamite cast here. Opposite him as the central character will be Gary Oldman (THE DARK KNIGHT) as retired agent George Smiley, and accompanying them will be Ciaran Hinds (MUNICH), Jared Harris (“Mad Men”), Colin Firth (A SINGLE MAN), and Benedict Cumberatch (ATONEMENT) as British operatives.

The film, adapted by the very talented Peter Morgan (FROST/NIXON, THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND) with help from the novel’s creator John le Carré, follows retired intelligence agent George Smiley (Oldman) who’s called back to service when a high-ranking member of MI6 is suspected of being a Soviet mole.

TINKER, TAILOR, SOLIDER, SPY begins shooting this month in the UK.