Picture Credit: Netflix
Netflix has dropped a trailer for its adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved enemies-to-lovers romance Pride and Prejudice, coming in December. Now that we have a glut of first looks of the Bennet family and beyond, how does the series compare to the previous, big-screen version of the story?
Over the years, Netflix has tackled adaptations of so many seminal works of literature, mostly to big success. Netflix’s most recent hit was its lush adaptation of John Steinbeck’s East of Eden. The streamer has also previously adapted Jane Austen’s Persuasion into a movie starring Dakota Johnson. Other Austen adaptations have appeared on Netflix as licensed titles too, including Emma (2020) and the beloved, fan-favorite Pride and Prejudice (2005) starring Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet and Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy.
The Austen library guarantees wide interest, and it felt like only a matter of time before Netflix would bring Pride and Prejudice to a new generation. After the 6-episode series was announced back in April 2025, we’re merely weeks away from its premiere on December 3. Created by Dolly Alderton (Good Material, Everything I Know About Love) and directed by Euros Lyn, the series stars The Crown’s Emma Corrin and Slow Horses star Jack Lowden as Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. Check out the trailer for Netflix’s Pride and Prejudice down below:
It’s clear that this version of Pride & Prejudice serves to usher the story into a new generation rather than reinventing it — unlike what we saw in 2016’s chaotic Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. It’s an ardently faithful approach, as laid out by Alderton herself. “Once in a generation, a group of people get to retell this wonderful story and I feel very lucky that I get to be a part of it,” showrunner Dolly Alderton told Netflix. “Jane Austen’s Pride And Prejudice is the blueprint for romantic comedy – it has been a joy to delve back into its pages to find both familiar and fresh ways of bringing this beloved book to life. The book is a gift to adapt — packed with drama and depth as well as comedy and charm.”
As we look forward to the next version of Pride and Prejudice, we’re also looking back at the classic 2005 movie. The requisite film came after over 10 adaptations dating back to 1940 with the old black-and-white film, which is now considered lost media. When the ’05 movie debuted over two decades ago, it instantly became the most internationally beloved retelling of the story, and remains a fan-favorite today. In fact, the movie has spent a lot of time in Netflix’s library over the years, garnering over 10 million total views — not bad for a licensed movie over two decades old.
Before Netflix’s Pride and Prejudice becomes the most recent faithful adaptation, we’re taking a look at the new cast members taking over the roles, and how they compare to their previous portrayals.
Pride and Prejudice 2026 vs. 2005: A side-by-side comparison
Elizabeth Bennet
Picture Credit: Netflix / Focus Features
2005 casting: Kiera Knightley
2026 casting: Emma Corrin
At the beginning of the story, Elizabeth Bennet is intelligent, witty, and fiercely independent. She forms a harsh first impression of the stoic Mr. Darcy, viewing him as cold and disagreeable. However, as the story evolves and she learns more about him, her initial prejudices begin to unravel.
For a generation, Keira Knightley has been the face of Elizabeth Bennet. Now, the duty falls to Emma Corrin. Netflix fans will recognise them from their role as Diana in The Crown, and also their appearance in Black Mirror episode Hotel Reverie.
Mr. Darcy
Picture Credit: Netflix / Focus Features
2005 casting: Matthew Macfadyen
2026 casting: Jack Lowden
Tall, handsome, and wealthy, Mr. Darcy has an income of £10,000 a year and owns the Pemberley estate in Derbyshire. During the Meryton ball, he snubs young Elizabeth Bennet, describing her as merely tolerable — a statement which she overhears.
Mr. Darcy is played by Jack Lowden in Netflix’s series. Lowden has once headlined a Netflix movie, starring as Vaughn in Calibre (2018). He’s most famous for his role in AppleTV’s smash-hit Slow Horses.
Mr. Bennet
Picture Credit: Netflix / Focus Features
2005 casting: Donald Sutherland
2026 casting: Rufus Sewell
The patriarch of the Bennet household, Mr. Bennet has five daughters. His is caring, and looks out for his children, with a particular fondness for Elizabeth.
Star Rufus Sewell is becoming a staple across Netflix projects. He most notably plays Hal Wyler in The Diplomat, while also appearing in Scoop, The Sandman, and Kaleidoscope. There’s no doubting that he’ll put in a top performance as Mr. Bennet.
Mrs. Bennet
Picture Credit: Netflix / Focus Features
2005 casting: Brenda Blethyn
2026 casting: Olivia Colman
The matriarch of the Bennet household, Mrs. Bennet encapsulates the social pressures of mothers in the Regency-era. Driven by social ambition, she directs all of her energy towards helping her children getting married.
Olivia Colman is one of the most instantly recognisable stars of this series. She’s appeared in numerous Netflix projects, including The Crown, Heartstopper, and The Lost Daughter.
Mary Bennet
Picture Credit: Netflix / Focus Features
2005 casting: Talulah Riley
2026 casting: Hopey Parish
The middle child with the least prospects, Mary is often the most overlooked of all the Bennet sisters. The character has quickly become one of the most popular of all the sisters thanks to the BBC’s series The Other Bennet Sister — which returns for a Christmas special later this year.
In Netflix’s Pride and Prejudice, Mary is played by newcomer Hopey Parish.
Jane Bennet
Picture Credit: Netflix / Focus Features
2005 casting: Rosamund Pike
2026 casting: Freya Mavor
The eldest Bennet sister, Jane contrasts with her younger sister Elizabeth in many ways: she is gentler, more patient, and more open-minded toward people.
Best known for her work on HBO’s Industry, Freya Mavor will make her Netflix debut in Pride and Prejudice.
Kitty & Lydia Bennet
Picture Credit: Netflix / Focus Features
2005 casting: Carey Mulligan | Jena Malone
2026 casting: Hollie Avery | Rhea Norwood
Both Kitty and Lydia very much come as a duo; we even see them together in our first look at the Netflix adaptation. The two youngest sisters are silly, immature, and often act foolishly.
Hollie Avery plays Kitty in her debut role. Rhea Norwood is a more established actress, and can be seen on Netflix as Imogen Heaney in Heartstopper.
Mr. Wickham
Picture Credit: Netflix / Focus Features
2005 casting: Rupert Friend
2026 casting: Louis Partridge
A charming and handsome militia officer, George Wickham quickly establishes himself as a potential suitor for Elizabeth Bennet.
Netflix subscribers who love a period drama will instantly recognise Louis Partridge from his role as Edward in House of Guinness.
Mr. Bingley
Picture Credit: Netflix / Focus Features
2005 casting: Simon Woods
2026 casting: Daryl McCormack
A wealthy young man, Charles Bingley’s fortune comes largely from his father’s successful business. He is desirable in society, and he falls in love with Jane Bennet, despite caution from his close friend Mr. Darcy.
Actor Daryl McCormack comes into the role on the back of some successful work, especially his portrayal of Isaiah Jesus in Peaky Blinders. Netflix subscribers may also recognise him from his appearance in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.
William Collins
Picture Credit: Netflix / Focus Features
2005 casting: Tom Hollander
2026 casting: Jamie Demetriou
A pompous clergyman, Mr. Collins is a distant cousin of Mr. Bennet. He plans to inherit Longbourn after Mr. Bennet’s death, and wishes to marry one of the Bennet sisters.
Casting comedian Jamie Demetriou in this role makes a ton of sense. Mr. Collins serves as a comic relief in the story; pompous, cringey, and socially inept. Demetriou has previously worked with Netflix, appearing in action thriller Back in Action and headlining his own comedy special A Whole Lifetime in 2023.
What do you think of the castings for the 2026 series compared to previous cast members? Give us all your thoughts in the comments down below.
