E5 - a Working Title movie/film

[Cinthia]

Back in October, emerged the news that Working Title is producing another Austen adaptation, this time Emma:

www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/anya-taylor-joy-star-jane-austen-adaptation-emma-1155172

The script is by Eleanor Catton, who has been a Man Booker Prize winner. Has anyone read any of her books? I have not been able to find if she had ever expressed her opinions on Austen and Emma. Autumn de Wilde, a music video director, will make her feature directorial debut for this and actress Anya Taylor-Joy has been chosen as protagonist.

More recently, it has been reported another cast addition:
deadline.com/2018/12/johnny-flynn-joins-focus-features-emma-with-anya-taylor-joy-1202523879/

No mention of what role Flynn will take, but according to IMDB he will be 36 years-old next March, so we could guess there is only one role close to that age for him.

[Christopher]

The latter report didn't say what part Johnny Flynn will play. He looks like a Frank Churchill to me.

[juliep]

Here are a couple of stories about the new "Emma":

www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a24236067/emma-adaptation-anya-taylor-joy/

www.empireonline.com/movies/news/bill-nighy-mia-goth-callum-turner-join-new-emma/

So far, the cast sounds wonderful - Bill Nighy as Mr. Woodhouse, Miranda Hart as Miss Bates, Rupert Graves as Mr. Weston and Gemma Whelan as Mrs. Weston. I am not familiar with any of the very young actors, except for Tanya Reynolds as Mrs. Elton. Tanya played the daughter in "Delicious" and was also in Death in Paradise (but then, isn't everyone?). I think she'll be good.

[Christopher]

I can hardly wait!

[Cinthia]

Well, it is scheduled for a February release in USA and UK, which means it is not considered movie awards material and though the director has posted in her Instagram several behind the scenes photos, it was until today that the first official images had been shown, through the film social networks accounts and the announcement that tomorrow the trailer will be released.

I cannot help to feel grumpy, because the only Austen novel in real need of a proper adaptation is Mansfield Park and in a miniseries format not a feature film.

Oops! I forgot to include the links:

Emma (2020) official page at Focus Features
Emma (2020) - Facebook
Emma (2020) Twitter
Emma (2020) Instagram

[sharon]

I wonder what the forum members think of the adaptation? I haven't seen it yet.

[Cinthia]

sharon said:

I wonder what the forum members think of the adaptation? I haven't seen it yet.

Hi, Sharon, I am still waiting for a released date to be confirmed in my country (allegedly April 24th) and I am even afraid of a delay due to coronavirus. But perhaps Julie P and Christopher could provide some insight if they have already seen it.

Based on second-hand accounts, I am not as pessimistic as I was when filming was announced, I think I might be pleasantly surprised though it may not become my favourite Emma adaptation.

[juliep]

I saw it when it first came out, and liked it much better than I'd expected to.

The proposal scene was totally weird, but I've since read about the writer's intentions so it makes more sense in that context. But I still don't think it works because we don't have the context in the movie itself.