Rounding out a year full of classic fiction adaptations—starting with Emerald Fennell’s bold take on Wuthering Heights and including new versions of Lord of the Flies, Little House on the Prairie, East of Eden, and Pride and Prejudice (the last four for Netflix alone)—English director Georgia Oakley’s Sense and Sensibility is set to hit theaters this October. And we’ve got our first stunning look at her Dashwood family.

Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles as Marianne Dashwood.
Photo: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

The film stars Daisy Edgar-Jones, Esmé Creed-Miles, Bodhi Rae Breathnach, Caitríona Balfe, George MacKay, Frank Dillane, and Fiona Shaw. It’s based on Jane Austen’s first published novel, released in 1811. (Novelist Diana Reid has done a great job with the screenplay.) For Oakley (Blue Jean), Sense and Sensibility has long fascinated her because of the vulnerable position of the family of women at its center. After the death of their father, they must move from their grand Sussex estate, Norland Park, to a much smaller, slightly run-down country cottage in far-off Devonshire. (In Austen’s memorable description of Barton Cottage: “the building was regular, the roof was tiled, the window shutters were not painted green, nor were the walls covered with honeysuckles.”)

“Looking back, I think it must have something to do with the fact that the Dashwoods sit close to the center of society, but at the same time, they get pushed close to the edge,” Oakley says. “That’s definitely something, as a filmmaker, that I’m drawn to over and over.”

Esmé Creed-Miles stars as Marianne Dashwood in SENSE & SENSIBILITY, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC
Photo: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

She was also drawn to Austen’s sharp critique of the conventions of her time, noting how the author boldly “poked holes” in the power structures that upheld unfair traditions like male primogeniture. “I see it as something really brave that she was doing,” Oakley says. “Everybody else writing at that time was mostly writing about things that happened 500 years ago, so they could sneak in these kinds of messages.”

In a similar way, Oakley wanted to create a real sense of place, focusing on the small details of both the built and natural environments that the Dashwoods—reserved Elinor (Edgar-Jones), passionate Marianne (Creed-Miles), young Margaret (Breathnach), and their loving but slightly scatterbrained mother (Balfe)—lived in.

Daisy Edgar-Jones, Esmé Creed-Miles, Bodhi Rae Breathnach as Margaret Dashwood, and Caitríona Balfe as Mrs. Dashwood.
Photo: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

“It was really important to me to feel like we’re watching a story about human beings, and we can actually feel what it was like to live in the houses they lived in—whether we’re talking about a moldy cottage by the sea or a huge, grand country house,” she says. “I’m a little tired of the way that time period is often romanticized, with this idea that everyone spent seven hours doing their hair and makeup, everything was always perfect, and someone was always there to help you out of your dress. I’m not a historian, but I don’t buy all of it.” Among the films Oakley and her creative team—which included production designer Francesca Di Mottola, costume designer Grace Snell, and cinematographer Arnaud Potier—discussed as references were John Schlesinger’s Far From the Madding Crowd, Céline Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire, and Hlynur Pálmason’s Godland.

Daisy Edgar-Jones stars as Elinor Dashwood in SENSE & SENSIBILITY, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLCRES LLC
Photo: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

Authenticity was also a top priority when it came to casting. While Elinor and Marianne both have their suitors (Marianne has more than one), Sense and Sensibility is, above all, a story about the love between two very different sisters. So it was a big help that Edgar-Jones and Creed-Miles already knew each other a little, having worked together as teenagers on the 2018 film Pond Life. “Seeing Daisy and Esmé together in the first chemistry read was such a delight,” Oakley says. “The fact that this wasn’t the first time they’d been in a room together really made a difference, I think.”

S&S_FP_00124_R
Esmé Creed-Miles stars as Marianne Dashwood and Daisy Edgar-Jones as Elinor Dashwood in SENSE & SENSIBILITY, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

Photo: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

Breathnach—who had recently landed the role of Susanna, the eldest Shakespeare child in Hamnet—was another exciting find. For Mrs. Dashwood, Oakley made a point of choosing an actor who didn’t look much older than the women playing her daughters. “That felt more historically accurate,” the filmmaker notes, “and there’s a lot in the book about how Willoughby and all the other men who visit the cottage can’t help but fall in love with her.” Besides, she adds, “Caitríona has such an amazing, gentle energy that they immediately became the Dashwood family.”

In the end, Oakley hopes that, with her talented cast and Reid’s “propulsive” screenplay, she’s created a Sense and Sensibility that both honors Austen’s rich material and charms a new generation—just as other versions, most notably Ang Lee’s Oscar-winning 1995 adaptation starring Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman, and Hugh Grant, did in the past. “One of our actors hadn’t seen the previous film, and he hadn’t read the book, and he asked me if he should,” Oakley recalls. “I said, ‘Well, maybe don’t.’ It’s important for some people to come to this without any of those preconceptions. I would love for people who know nothing about the book and haven’t seen earlier versions to watch this and connect with it.”

What she didn’t want, though, was to make something that felt obviously like it was from 2026. “My dream is always to make a film that could be discovered on a DVD in someone’s attic, and you can’t tell from the soundtrack or anything exactly when it was made,” Oakley says. Instead, “you find something in it that’s a little bit timeless.”

Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs based on the information provided Since the specific project isnt named Ive used placeholders like and the character to keep the answers accurate and adaptable

Beginner General Questions

1 What is this exclusive first look about
Its an early preview of the upcoming project giving fans a sneak peek at Daisy EdgarJones and the rest of the cast in their roles

2 Who is starring in this project
Daisy EdgarJones is the lead alongside a talented ensemble cast that includes

3 When will the full project be released
The release date hasnt been officially announced yet but the first look suggests its coming soonlikely within the next

4 Is this a movie or a TV series
Its a titled

5 What role does Daisy EdgarJones play
She plays a

Advanced BehindtheScenes Questions

6 What can we learn about the story from this first look
The preview hints at a focusing on themes like and It shows key interactions between Daisys character and the rest of the cast

7 How does the cast chemistry look in the preview
Early reactions suggest strong chemistry The clips show natural banter and emotional weight especially between Daisy EdgarJones and

8 Are there any unique visual or directorial choices in the first look
Yes the preview highlights which sets a distinct tone for the project

9 What challenges did the cast face while filming
According to early interviews the cast had to to bring authenticity to their roles