Tinkering and Tailoring a Spy Series Re-boot

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is happening again.

The new feature film adaptation of John Le Carre's seminal cold war best-seller is being produced by Working Title's co-chairmen Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, and marks their next collaboration with Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Peter Morgan ("Frost/Nixon," "The Queen") and will be exec-produced by Debra Hayward, Liza Chasin, John Le Carre and Peter Morgan.

But what British actor can hope to fill Alec Guinness's shoes?

Who would you cast as the "old, estranged, overweight, taciturn and sharp-minded protagonist"?

It's the "overweight" that... um... narrows the field, isn't it?

How about Anthony Hopkins? He's not overweight, but he could easily convince us that he was.

If Alan Rickman put on some weight, I'd love to see him take it on.

If Ricky Gervais gained a few pounds and took on a dramatic role... or Eddie Izzard, for that matter... but they'd both have to play much older than they are.

Michael Gambon?

Gary Oldman? He can do anything.

Ahh... but if I'm going to nominate actors who can transform themselves and do anything, then the choice is obvious:

Helen Mirren.