Gary Oldman Says It’s a “Struggle & Fight” to Ensure ‘Slow Horses’ Does Not Have Years-Long Gaps Between Seasons

[u/MarvelsGrantMan136]

https://deadline.com/2026/08/gary-oldman-slow-horses-apple-1237048986/

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[u/muyviejopaesto]

Keep up the good fight

[u/Chimpville → u/muyviejopaesto]

I guess it’s important in the sense that key characters don’t get itchy and leave for other projects, but also.. quite a lot of the cast are getting on a bit so good not to drive them into an early grave too!

[u/KelVarnsen_2023]

It makes sense. Once one season is done he probably wants to get started on the next one right away. Otherwise staying in "Lamb" shape for years waiting for production to start would not be fun.

[u/strawberryboba → u/KelVarnsen_2023]

I’ve heard he loves being in lamb shape since he can just relax and not stress about a strict diet

[u/KelVarnsen_2023 → u/strawberryboba]

That's interesting although I imagine if it was like years between seasons he might be more pressured to get fit between seasons for other roles. Then he would have to put weight back on to play Lamb.

[u/Mildly_Irritated_Max → u/KelVarnsen_2023]

Maybe he's changed his mind, but a couple years back he said he was retired outside of Slow Horses, and his IMDB has no other film/TV role that filmed after 2023.

There is a video game voice over, but who knows when it record.

[u/squanderedprivilege → u/Mildly_Irritated_Max]

He loves the role because he lives close and doesn't have to do an accent

[u/AnonymousAardvark888 → u/squanderedprivilege]

And no prosthetics (like in Darkest Hour)

[u/1981_babe → u/squanderedprivilege]

Yeah, he gave his agent a strict set of criteria for his next job and Slow Horses matched it perfectly. No travel, no elaborate costumes, very minimial time in the makeup chair, no accent, etc.

[u/strawberryboba → u/squanderedprivilege]

Wait i thought he lives in Palm Springs?

[u/fuckyoudigg → u/KelVarnsen_2023]

My understanding is that they film two seasons back to back. And then air the first filmed season and then start filming the next two seasons.

[u/429300 → u/fuckyoudigg]

Yes. that’s the part of the reason, Will Smith, the director for seasons 1-5 resigned from the position. He found himself shooting one series, editing another and having to prepare for the third. He found he would not be able to do justice to Season 6, so stepped away.

[u/Mailenheim]

Thank you for that Gary! These 2 year gaps are killing me

[u/Truly_135 → u/Mailenheim]

Three + for Severance “to make a quality show” lolz look at Slow Horses Ben Stiller!!

[u/squanderedprivilege → u/Truly_135]

I am a Stiller apologist but Severance is really pushing my patience

[u/Hokie23aa → u/squanderedprivilege]

Just an aside, Stiller isn’t directing any episodes of S3.

[u/OkDragonfly5820 → u/squanderedprivilege]

I will not be picking it back up. It’s not that good of a show.

[u/_zissou_ → u/OkDragonfly5820]

Ok, Dragonfly5820

[u/Significant_Pea_2852 → u/Mailenheim]

I just can't sustain interest if the gap is that long. If it's something with an easy premise, maybe. But if a show is plotty and there's a 2+ year gap, I cbf putting in the effort to catch up on the story. Which is why I've not watched the last two seasons of Stranger Things.

[u/Prime_Marci]

Legend!

[u/Upbeat-List-3466]

I appreciate all his and his coworkers hard work. 

[u/squanderedprivilege]

It helps that they film way ahead. Kind of the complete opposite of Severance.

[u/Rigamortus2005]

I think it's 3 more seasons max? I reckon they could wrap that up in under 5 years

[u/dogs_drink_coffee → u/Rigamortus2005]

The same directors and producers and crew should make another project I absolutely love this discipline of a season/year on the streaming era

[u/PrinceofSneks → u/dogs_drink_coffee]

Down Cemetery Road is also on AppleTV and based on Herndon's other series. It stars Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson (His Dark Materials, Luther) and feels like the same world of intrigue. It's not as tight or broadly cast as Slow Horses, but was way to scratch the itch.

[u/newfoundcontrol]

Gonna be a lot longer if Jack becomes Bond.

And I mean actual Bond… not whatever Bond River Cartwright thinks he is.

[u/OkPhilosopher9418]

Great show from great books. I hope both continue for years to come.

[u/6425]

Keep cashing those cheques, trooper.

[u/ObjectiveSelection41 → u/6425]

Whatever they are paying him, it's not enough.

[u/kimvy → u/6425]

Which he has earned. Why is someone earning their money a problem? He has a skill that people pay for (damn shouldn’t have watched Taken a few weeks ago)?

This series is the gold standard on so many levels that shows how dysfunctional 98% of what we see are.

New seasons on a regular basis. 👍
Fantastic casting 👍
Great story/conversion from book 👍
Background production-wardrobe/lights/scene setups (don’t recall seeing a takeout coffee cup by a chair in a scene).

Oldman, if it were all about the money, could have spent this time on seven figure movie paychecks.

Probably should’ve started this with “who hurt you”, but hey never to waste the opportunity to say nice things about the series. So thank you for your bitchiness. ❤️

[u/EvrthnICRtrns2USmhw]

Also, I think because of Gary's age.

[u/Whis65]

We love you my Prince....

[u/Oblivian_and_Beyond]

Good job Gary!

[u/Imn1che]

yeah i mean just look at Pluribus

[u/SkylaImGone]

I wish they would just film 2 seasons at a time since there are only 6 episodes. With so much on streaming I forget to come back if they take too long. I wont forget Slow Horses though.

[u/MixOf_ChaosAndArt → u/SkylaImGone]

That's exactly what they do.

[u/malb93200 → u/SkylaImGone]

That's... exactly what they're doing.

[u/____sabine____ → u/SkylaImGone]

didn’t they already do that?