Since a sequel to The Man from UNCLE seems unlikely, I’ll have to settle for Armie Hammer in a different film where an American and Soviet spy join forces. Fortunately, this one pairs him up with Mads Mikkkelsen, and will be directed by Amma Asante, so all is definitely good.
Deadline reports Hammer and Mikkelsen will teamup for The Billion Dollar Spy, which is based on the true story of Soviet engineer Adolf Tolkachev and his American CIA handler who risked everything to bring an end to the Cold War. Tolkachev was motivated by a need to save his family from continued persecution and used his position as a chief engineer to deliver a treasure trove of high-value military secrets. Tolkachev was ultimately betrayed, captured, and executed by the Soviet government.
The film will be directed by Asante, best known for her films Belle, A United Kingdom, and Where Hands Touch. Benjamin August wrote the script, adapted from the book by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David E. Hoffman, who drew from previously-classified CIA documents and interviews with first-hand participants.
Mikkelsen is earning rave reviews from the festival circuit for his performance in Thomas Vinterberg’s Another Round. Hammer can be seen right now in Ben Wheatley’s Rebecca remake.
The Billion Dollar Spy begins shooting next year. Here is the official synopsis:
“Brad Reid (Hammer) is a fresh arrival at the Moscow station of the CIA when he’s approached by Soviet engineer Adolf Tolkachev (Mikkelsen). Ignoring the advice from his bosses that Tolkachev is an obvious KGB ‘dangle’, Reid develops a bond and unique friendship with the Russian, who seemingly only wants to help his family escape the corruption within the Soviet Union. Reid’s faith in Tolkachev is rewarded when he hands over a treasure trove of military secrets, obtained using classic Cold War spy craft. It earns Tolkachev the nickname ‘The Billion Dollar Spy’ and alters the balance of power between East and West. But their success in evading the KGB comes at great personal cost to both men, and their marriages to wives Tina and Natasha, all struggling with the daily paranoia of being caught. Then one day a shocking betrayal puts them all in grave danger…”
