A Spy Among Friends is an upcoming historical thriller starring Guy Pearce and Damian Lewis. The six-part series is set during the Cold War and highlights the political, economic, and social tensions of the later twentieth century between the U.K. and the Soviet Union, or the “West” and “East.” The series follows Nicholas Elliott and Kim Philby, two British spies and long-time best friends, as they face bitter betrayal in more ways than one. Elliott worked as an intelligence officer for MI6 alongside his friend and professional colleague, Philby, before Philby cuts ties and defects. The two spies face dangerous adversaries as the East and West trade state secrets, technology, and information tied directly to the safety of each empire’s population.

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A Spy Among Friends is based on Ben Macintyre’s critically-acclaimed non-fiction book of the same title. This marks an additional adaptation of Macintyre’s work, following Netflix’s premiere of Operation Mincemeat, a World War II espionage historical film. Macintyre’s work often explores real-life espionage and wartime tales of the twentieth century, typically telling the “untold stories” of the period. His publications contribute to a growing movement to highlight unique war stories, such as Devotion, 1917, and more.

The series premiered at the London Film Festival before its intended December 2022 release. As its U.K. premiere approaches and its United States premiere awaits, here’s everything we know.

A Spy Among Friends: The Plot

During the height of the Cold War, British intelligence and law enforcement counteract espionage within their own borders. When the loyalty of Kim Philby (Pearce) is called into question by British officials, his friend Nicholas Elliott (Lewis) is called to testify in Philby’s defense.

Elliott is the ideal candidate to admonish Philby of any accusations–they are lifelong friends, having both attended Cambridge University and eventually navigated the complex British “old boys’” network together. Elliott knows Philby on both a personal and professional level. Additionally, Elliott is an intelligence officer for MI6, and he is undoubtedly loyal to his country and the accompanying ideologies of the West. If anyone were to suspect or identify espionage, it would be Elliott. Therefore, the seemingly out-of-the-blue accusations levied against his friend were bogus. They were ridiculous. They were impossible… and they were all true.

Their friendship is fractured when Philby is, in fact, revealed as a KGB spy. Elliott spirals upon learning the news. How long had he been a spy? Was Philby just using Elliott as a source of information? Was any part of their friendship genuine? If Elliott’s own best friend was a conspirator, who can he trust? Who can anyone trust?

The series shows the two friends (and their accompanying ideologies) diverging from one another. What started as a bitter, earth-shattering betrayal between two close friends slowly evolves to encapsulate the betrayal felt on both sides of the Cold War. As world powers, MI5, MI6, and SIS all endeavor to fight for the ideologies of the West, they face a blunt reality: no one is to be fully trusted.

A Spy Among Friends: The Cast & Crew

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The film stars Damian Lewis (Band of Brothers, Homeland, Billions), Guy Pearce (Iron Man 3, Prometheus, Mare of Easttown), Anna Maxwell Martin (Line of Duty, Motherland), Stephen Kunken (Billions, The Handmaid’s Tale), and Adrian Edmondson (Back to Life, The Young Ones, The Pact). Additional cast members include Daniel Lapaine, Thomas Arnold, Monika Gossmann, Steven Elder, Lucy Russell, and Lucy Akhurst.

The limited series is executive produced and directed by Nick Murphy (A Christmas Carol). It is produced by Chrissy Skinns (The Last Kingdom). Actor Damian Lewis, Bob Bookman, Alan Gasmer, and Peter Jaysen served as executive producers alongside Murphy.

A Spy Among Friends was a co-production between ITV/ITVX, a United Kingdom streaming service, and Sony Pictures Television.

A Spy Among Friends: The Release Date

A Spy Among Friends launches in the United Kingdom on Thursday, December 8th, 2022. Episodes can be found on the new ITV streaming service, ITVX.

A Spy Among Friends will premiere in the United States in early 2023 on MGM+.

A Spy Among Friends: Everything Else

A Spy Among Friends will land on ITVX, a new United Kingdom-based streaming service. The new free, advertising-supported streaming service will replace the ITV Hub and deliver a combination of cable television and streaming originals. For audiences outside of the United Kingdom, A Spy Among Friends will premiere and reside on a new streaming provider: MGM+

MGM+ (formerly known as the network Epix) is a linear television network with a growing catalog of exclusive streaming content. Michael Wright, the head of MGM+, expressed excitement to Deadline over the upcoming series and its role in the launch of MGM+.

“Alex Cary has brilliantly adapted Ben Macintyre’s historical novel about friendship, loyalty, and betrayal. He, along with Nick Murphy, Damian Lewis, and the remarkable cast led by Lewis and Guy Pearce, have brought to life this riveting tale of two British spies whose deep personal bond and long friendship is challenged by duplicity and deception,” said Michael Wright, head of MGM+. “This series is emblematic of our new MGM+ brand and the rich, cinematic, and character-driven stories we aim to tell.”