It is a truth universally acknowledged that Austenites are always in want of new adaptations. Creating a worthy portrayal of Pride and Prejudice, however? Now that's a finer feat. As fans of the celebrated authoress would agree: "One's good opinion once lost is lost forever", so Netflix has a mammoth task on their hands.
Setting the bar high, in 1995, Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle won rave reviews for their palpable on-screen chemistry, not to mention Mr Darcy's swoon-worthy lake scene – which was voted the BBC's most memorable TV moment ever.
© TV TimesAnd just when we thought we couldn't love an adaptation more ardently, Keira Knightley and Matthew McFayden danced into our hearts a decade later. From lingering looks to the all-too-telling hand flex from our brooding hero, Joe Wright's film version became another big hitter in the Pride and Prejudice Hall of Fame.
© Universal PicturesBut as Netflix launches its highly anticipated search for the next Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy, what can fans expect? Here's what we know so far…
Release date
With the project in the early stages of development, a release date has yet to be divulged. In the meantime, however, it has been confirmed that Dolly Alderton – the celebrated British author famed for her memoir, Everything I Know About Love – has penned the scripts.
According to What's on Netflix, a summer 2025 shoot has been planned for the United Kingdom.
Casting
It has now been confirmed that Elizabeth Bennet will be portrayed by Black Mirror and The Crown star, Emma Corrin.
© Samir Hussein/WireImageIt has also been confirmed that Jack Lowden will portray Mr Darcy, while Olivia Colman is set to portray Mrs Bennett.
© Photo: Getty ImagesNo stranger to the world of period dramas, Jack, 34, has lent his talents to Wolf Hall (2015), War & Peace (2016) and Mary Queen of Scots (2018), so the rising star would be a welcome candidate. Should he bag the prestigious honour of playing Mr Darcy, Jack could even lean on his wife, actress Saoirse Ronan, for tips, considering her successful run in literary adaptations like Atonement (2007) and Little Women (2019).
Can Netflix pull it off?
News of the Netflix adaptation has left fans divided. Among them, HELLO!'s TV & Film Editor, Emmy Griffiths, has weighed in:
"There is enough good news coming from Netflix's planned Pride and Prejudice adaptation, and I'm hoping that they won't be making the same huge misstep that they made with Jane Austen's Persuasion - but I'm still not totally convinced.
"Fortunately, hints of casting, including Jack Lowden, Daisy Edgar Jones and Emma Corrin, as well as the announcement that Dolly Alderton is at the helm, gives me hope yet that this could be a refreshing adaptation to the classic. And if not, I suppose we can all just watch the 2005 version again, right?"
