There's a level of comfort associated with a classic novel, and Jane Austen's timeless repertoire is no exception. Now, American television network, The CW, is putting a contemporary twist on some of the novelists' most beloved stories, with news of a Jane Austen anthology series officially in the works.
According to Deadline, the new series will be titled Modern Austen, and will be structured as a one-hour long anthology series that reimagines Austen's works into “six modern stories, offering a kaleidoscopic look at love and family in our time of inequality and disconnection.” Each series will focus on a different novel, beginning with none other than Pride and Prejudice – reportedly to be set in San Francisco.
Oh my gosh I can finally talk about this!!! https://t.co/LTzwJdIl8p
— Eleanor Burgess (@eleanorjburgess) November 13, 2020
Written and produced by Eleanor Burgess, the screenwriter behind HBO's reboot of Perry Mason, alongside executive-producers Stephanie Allain and Gabrielle Ebron, the new series will translate Austen's timeless challenges of family, societal expectations and romance into the 21st century – a tale that we are sure to relate to.
Modern Austen isn't the first time Austen's books have been given the film or television adaptation treatment. Over the years, Pride and Prejudice alone has been reshaped several times for screen, from the hit-1995 miniseries starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle, to the Oscar nominated 2005 rendition starring Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet and Matthew Macfayden as Mr. Darcy. Of course, we can't neglect the iconic 1995 film, Clueless, which is loosely based on Austen's book, Emma, or in fact, the traditional 2020 adaption of the novel that features actress Anya Taylor-Joy at the helm.
With Burgess' reputation of successful adaptations and reboots, there's no question that her latest project holds a lot of promise. While there's no official release date for Modern Austen just yet, we'll be sure to keep you updated on any details to follow, included cast speculation, official trailers and more.
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