Netflix is developing a series based on Jane Austen’s beloved novel Pride And Prejudice (1995), with acclaimed author Dolly Alderton writing the scripts, Variety reports. The book, originally published in 1813, explores the issues of love, marriage, and social class at the turn of the 19th century. The streamer previously adapted Austen’s Persuasion in 2022, starring Dakota Johnson. Alderton is expanding her TV credits with the project after adapting her bestseller, Everything I Know About Love, into a seven-episode series for both the BBC and Peacock in 2022.

Austen’s book has been adapted several times for the screen, including the 2005 film starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen and the BBC’s 1995 miniseries with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. The classic story centers on the relationship between Elizabeth Bennet, the daughter of a country gentleman, and rich aristocratic landowner Fitzwilliam Darcy. What starts out as loathing eventually turns to love as Elizabeth overcomes her prejudice, while Mr. Darcy puts aside his pride. The book’s themes are familiar territory for Alderton, as her 2018 memoir Everything I Know About Love offers a relatable coming-of-age story about the growing pains of a young woman navigating friendships, mishaps, and relationships.

Described as a romantic period drama, no cast has officially been attached to Netflix’s Pride and Prejudice series nor has there been an official pickup from the streamer. The success of its historical romantic drama Bridgerton adds fresh excitement to the project. Netflix co-chief Ted Sarandos previously shared his passion for expanding fresh content on the platform and fostering storytellers in a 2020 interview with Variety, saying:

“If I was able to create an environment where people can tell stories that really matter to people, that they remember and keep that alive and always put the creative first, I think that will be a great legacy.”

A Milestone Week for Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice

Austen’s Pride and Prejudice has served as the premise for a myriad of books, including author Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones’s Diary (1996), which was adapted into a hit movie series starring Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, and Hugh Grant. The BBC recently announced The Other Bennet Sister, a ten-part series about Mary Bennet, the middle sister in Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, based on a novel of the same name by Janice Hadlow. Screenwriter Sarah Quintrell had this to say about the BBC series:

“I’m thrilled to be telling the story of Mary – the other Bennet sister – exploring what it is to come of age when you’re the odd one out. It’s a joy to be adapting Janice Hadlow’s brilliant take on such a beloved classic with the team at Bad Wolf, and to have found our home at the BBC. I grew up (an awkward, anxious teen, getting everything wrong…) watching the BBC’s wonderful Austen adaptations. It’s the stuff every writer dreams of and I can’t wait to bring this beautiful story to screen – not least, for all the Marys out there.”

Plot details, casting, and release date for The Other Bennet Sister (from Doctor Who producer Bad Wolf) have not yet been revealed. Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, added: “The BBC’s Pride and Prejudice will forever be a classic moment in television history, and it’s incredibly exciting to return to Jane Austen’s irresistible world and go even further than before – this time in the footsteps of The Other Bennet Sister, Mary.”

Alderton is probably best known for co-hosting the acclaimed and now ex-podcast The High Low, with her bestie Pandora Sykes. She is also the author of the fiction books Ghosts (2020) and Good Material (2023), the latter of which centers on a comedian dealing with a bad breakup. According to British GQ, she is developing the novel’s adaptation for the screen.

The 2005 movie Pride & Prejudice is available on STARZ. The BBC miniseries is streaming on BritBox.

Pride And Prejudice (1995) Release Date January 14, 1996 Seasons 1.0