To me, the 2005 film Pride and Prejudice is a romantic masterpiece that is hard to top. It’s a top-tier romance adaptation, and Keira Knightley’s performance in it is utterly iconic. However, now, a new book-to-screen adaptation of a Jane Austen novel is coming, and I think it could live up to the expectations set by the 2005 movie. That’s right, the trailer for the new Sense and Sensibility is totally for the lovers of Knightley’s Pride and Prejudice.
Now, notably, this new movie is produced by Focus Features, the studio that made 2005’s Pride and Prejudice. So, I figured Sense and Sensibility could have a very similar feel to its fellow Austen adaptation.
However, there’s more to it than that. Daisy Edgar-Jones is leading this project on the 2026 movie schedule with a charm and strong-will that reminds me so much of Knightley’s performance as Elizabeth in the great film from the 2000s. I think she’s going to effortlessly lead this movie as Elinor Dashwood, and this trailer proves that the Normal People star was made for period romances. Sincerely, she was born to be a leading lady in a Jane Austen adaptation, just like the Pride and Prejudice star was.
Of course, we can also compare this upcoming movie to 1995’s Sense and Sensibility, which starred Emma Thompson. However, to me, the overall look and energy of 2026’s adaptation is more reminiscent of 2005’s Pride and Prejudice. That’s thanks to the warm cinematography, the eclectic chemistry between Edgar-Jones and George MacKay, and the Twisters star’s overall performance.
Now, with all that said, let’s dive into some of the details about this new movie that’s described as “a charming, witty, and deeply relatable story of love and sisterhood.” Alongside Daisy Edgar-Jones, Sense and Sensibility stars George MacKay as Edward Ferrars, Esmé Creed-Miles as Marianne Dashwood, Caitríona Balfe as Mrs. Dashwood and Fiona Shaw as Mrs. Jennings. Georgia Oakley is the movie’s director, and it was penned by Diana Reid.
Notably, two of Sense and Sensibility’s producers, Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, were also producers on Pride and Prejudice. Plus, as I mentioned earlier, both projects were made by Focus Features. So, it’s not shocking that the parallels are so strong between the two films.
However, it also feels like this movie will give us a take on this story that’s very fresh. It has a team of up-and-coming artists behind it, and they’ve assembled an ensemble cast of established stars and promising new names. So, yes, I do think that this will be an “irresistible new take on Jane Austen’s iconic” story, as the film’s synopsis states.
With all that said, it’s time to get excited for Sense and Sensibility. I really think we’re in for a period romance for the ages, and you better believe I’ll be seated in the theater on October 16 to see it. In the meantime, I’ll be re-watching 2005’s Pride and Prejudice.
