This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s summer editorial intern Jordyn Centerwall. Find her on Instagram at @jordyncenterwall. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
There are few words I like hearing more than new Pride and Prejudice adaptation. During the month of October, we were spoiled enough to hear them twice. Back-to-back in the second week of October both Netflix and the BBC announced new Pride and Prejudice projects in the works. Some argue that we don’t need ANOTHER adaptation of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. They urge for new stories and new characters to be given the chance to grace our screens and pages. I for one will never complain. Here’s everything we know so far about the new adaptations of Jane Austen’s novel plus some of my favorites over the years.
Adaptations A Plenty
From zombie apocalypse books to Hallmark movies, Pride and Prejudice has been molded into every shape imaginable since it was originally published in 1813. If you’re ever craving a taste of your favorite characters, you have plenty of formats to choose from.
Film and Television
Pride and Prejudice was the first of Austen’s novels adapted for television, with the earliest program released in 1938. According to the Jane Austen Society of North America, many of the early television programs were done live and not recorded at all. The first motion picture for the work came in 1940. Prior to the movie, the work had also been made into a theatre production on Broadway.
The most well-known adaptations today are without a doubt the BBC’s 1995 Pride and Prejudice mini-series and Universal’s 2005 film. The BBC series stars Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. This adaptation has been especially lauded for being a very close match to the book. In the 2005 version, Keira Knightley played Elizabeth with Matthew MacFayden as Mr. Darcy. I remain partial to the 2005 version because of the beautiful cinematography and score. It was also the first adaptation I watched so it will always hold a special place.
Other Pride and Prejudice Adaptations worth mentioning include:
- Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: This 2016 film adaptation is based on the novel written by Seth Grahame-Smith. Grahame-Smith imagined a dystopian society in which Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth must work together to end a zombie infestation in Britain. The film stars Lily James and Sam Riley.
- Bride and Prejudice: A Bollywood take on Austen’s novel.
- Bridget Jones’s Diary: Based on the books written by Helen Fielding, the 2001 romantic comedy was so successful it was turned into two more films with another on the way in early 2025.
Novels
Similar to the abundance of film adaptations, many authors have taken inspiration from Austen’s characters and plot and added their own twist to it. There are too many to include all of them here, but here are some of my favorites.
- Pride and Protest by Nikki Payne: Liza B. clashes with CEO Dorsey Fitzgerald when she stages a protest against his company’s plan to refurbish her DC neighborhood.
- Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price: Lizzie Bennet is an aspiring lawyer when a murder takes place in London. She sees it as her chance to make her mark despite the fact that the case is already being investigated by Fitzwilliam Darcy, heir to a prolific law firm.
- Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa: In this remix of the classic, Oliver Bennet is a trans boy whose family still expects him to conform to his sex at birth. He sneaks out dressed as a gentleman and meets Mr. Darcy outside of the stuffy balls his mother drags him to. Oliver must choose between the safety of conforming or being his true self.
It is also worth noting that there is quite a prolific fan fiction community around Pride and Prejudice. Archive of Our Own (AO3) includes works with thousands of hits and reads about Austen’s characters. These writers imagine the characters in Pride and Prejudice existing alternate universes (AU) or insert characters from other loved fandoms into the world of Mayfair and Pemberley. Many of these fics and novels offer new perspectives by placing the reader in the shoes of other characters outside of the male and female leads.
BBC’s Adaptation
BBC plans to provide a new perspective of its own in its new series, The Other Bennet Sister. This series is set to take place in ten parts and follows Elizabeth’s sister, Mary Bennet. In Austen’s original work, Mary is cast aside as the sister with no prospects. Even Mrs. Bennet, the marriage-hungry matron of the Bennet household, seems to consider her hopeless. The series is based on the book of the same name by Janice Hadlow. Hadlow imagines Mary taking her future into her own hands and traveling all over Britain to pursue love and independence. BBC has not yet announced a release date or any casting information.
Netflix’s Adaptation
Netflix had me gagged when I learned that their new Pride and Prejudice series would be written by Dolly Alderton. The Everything I Know About Love author is sure to bring a new tone to the classic. That is if all goes well. The project is still in the early stages of development and some are skeptical that it will actually be greenlit for production. I’ll be keeping my fingers and toes crossed.
While there is no current confirmed cast list, many believe that Twisters and Normal People star, Daisy Edgar Jones, is being considered. There are even rumors that she has been approached and potentially even read the script. This was reported by the Daily Mail and has not been corroborated yet. Even with the precarious position of the project currently, it is rumored to be completed by the end of 2025.
Other Cool Pride and Prejudice Things
Until mid-December guests to Jane Austen’s estate have the chance to converse with Lizzy Bennet. Thanks to a collaboration between the University of Creative Arts and AI company, StarPal, an AI avatar of Austen’s character will be on display. According to the Smithsonian Magazine, guests will have the chance to ask questions. Due to the content the avatar was fed, it will deliver period-accurate answers.
Which of the new Pride and Prejudice adaptations are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments below!
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