Production on The Little Drummer Girl, the six-part miniseries based on John le Carré's best-selling literary masterpiece of the same name, began today in Europe.

Produced by The Ink Factory, in partnership with AMC and BBC One, the international thriller marks the television debut of visionary filmmaker, Park Chan-wook (Old Boy, The Handmaiden, Stoker). The award-winning director will helm all six episodes, bringing his epic cinematic sensibility to the small screen.

The Little Drummer Girl stars Screen Actor's Guild, Emmy and Golden Globe Award-Winner Alexander Skarsgård (Big Little Lies, True Blood, Tarzan), two-time Academy Award nominee Michael Shannon (The Shape of Water, Nocturnal Animals), and BAFTA nominated Florence Pugh (Lady Macbeth). Also joining the cast are Charles Dance (And Then There Were None, Game of Thrones), Charif Ghattas (After the Ashes), Amir Khoury (Fauda), Michael Moshonov (The City and the City), Katharina Schuttler (Dogs of Berlin), and Simona Brown (Kiss Me First).

The miniseries tells the story of brilliant young actress Charlie (Pugh), who strikes up an acquaintance with an intriguing stranger while on holiday in Greece. But it rapidly becomes apparent that his intentions are far from romantic. The man is Becker (Skarsgård), an Israeli intelligence officer, who entangles her in a complex and high stakes plot orchestrated by Spymaster Kurtz (Shannon). Set in the late 1970s, yet sharply contemporary, The Little Drummer Girl weaves a dynamic and exciting story of espionage and international intrigue, of love and betrayal.

Oscar-nominated production designer Maria Djurkovic (The Imitation Game, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Mamma Mia) will bring The Little Drummer Girl heightened accuracy and a rich detail to the world of late 1970s counter-culture; BAFTA winner and Academy Award Nominated costume designer, Sheena Napier (Howard's End, Enchanted April, Parade's End) and BIFA Award Winner, Nicole Stafford (The Death of Stalin) will work together to add detailed authenticity to the costume, make-up and hair design.

Highly acclaimed Korean cinematographer Woo-Hyung Kim (Assassination, The Front Line, Late Autumn) will work closely with Park Chan-wook to bring a soaring cinematic texture to Charlie’s journey, and Emmy nominated and BAFTA Award-Winning film editor, Lucia Zucchetti (Game Change, Boy A, The Queen) joins them.

This new co-production follows AMC, the Ink Factory and BBC ONE’s collaboration on the BAFTA, Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning series The Night Manager, starring Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie and Olivia Colman.

For more on all the latest AMC news,  sign up for the AMC newsletter.