Prateek Tanmay
3 min readMumbaiJun 25, 2026 09:12 PM IST
Sense and Sensibility trailer: It seems to be raining Jane Austen adaptations in the past six years. The streak started with Autumn de Wilde’s 2020 period romantic comedy Emma, starring Anya Taylor-Joy in the titular role, in an adaptation of Austen’s 1815 novel of the same name. Next came Carrie Cracknell’s 2022 period romance Persuasion, starring Dakota Johnson, an adaptation of Austen’s 1817 novel. Netflix then announced a new series adaptation of Austen’s 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice, starring Emma Corrin, which will release later this year. And now, Focus Features has unveiled the trailer of its new Jane Austen adaptation, this time of her 1811 seminal debut novel Sense and Sensibility.
What’s in the trailer?
The trailer begins with the arrival of the will of Mr. Dashwood, a dead wealthy man, who much to his second wife’s surprise, hasn’t left any money for Mrs. Dashwood (Caitríona Balfe) and their three daughters — Elinor Dashwood (Daisy Edgar-Jones), Marianne (Esmé Creed-Miles), and Bodhi Rae Breathnach (Caitríona Balfe). They’re consequently forced to vacate their family castle and relocate to a cottage.
A distant relative of Mrs. Dashwood comes to their apparent rescue, promising to get the three sisters married one by one. While Elinor catches the attention of Edward Ferrars (George MacKay) by declaring within the confines of her bedroom, “I esteem him”, Marianne is conflicted between Colonel Brandon (Herbert Nordrum) and John Willoughby (Frank Dillane), who are as different as chalk and cheese.
“A man who loves me must burn with it, with all his passions, without the slightest restraint or hesitation,” Marianne tells Elinor, but the latter feels the obsession that comes with love can be rather too overbearing. “It is bewitching, the idea of one’s happiness depending entirely on another person. It is not always possible,” she says. But Marianne’s wish list doesn’t end. “I think a man has ought to be at least artificially passionate. Or he’d be sincerely dull,” she tells a suitor, before confessing to her sister in their bedroom, “I require so much,” much to their amusement.
Not the first Sense and Sensibility
The new adaptation of Sense and Sensibility is directed by Georgia Oakley and written for screen by Diana Reid. Prior to this, Focus Features has adapted two Jane Austen novels — Emma (2020) and Joe Wright’s 2005 Oscar-nominated take on Pride & Prejudice, starring Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen, and Rosamund Pike. While Sense and Sensibility is their third Austen adaptation, this isn’t the first time the novel has been brought to the big screen.
Also Read: Once champions of indie films, OTT giants are now acquiring them for as less as Rs 30 lakh
Back in 1995, Ang Lee adapted the book into a film of the same name, starring Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson. The latter, who also adapted the screenplay, won an Academy Award for the same. Also starring Hugh Grant and Alan Rickman as suitors, it earned seven Oscar nominations. The new Sense and Sensibility adaptation is slated to release in cinemas on October 16.
