Kate Winslet’s Sense and Sensibility is untouchable — the new one has opened at 80%
Georgia Oakley's version stars Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esme Creed-Miles and reaches cinemas on 16 October.
There we go, another Jane Austen flick is on the way—because apparently, the appetite for genteel heartbreak and accidental eavesdropping never really subsides. The latest in the endless parade is Georgia Oakley’s take on Sense and Sensibility, and the first batch of critics have seen it already.
Early signs? It’s looking respectable. Rotten Tomatoes lists the film at 80% with ten reviews in. Call that a B-minus Austen, if you like your literary report cards. Some are already drawing lines between this one and the Angela Lee/Kate Winslet adaptation from ‘95. I’m not sure that comparison’s ever avoidable, but let’s see what’s actually different this time round.
Sense and Sensibility sits at 80% on Rotten Tomatoes from a small crowd of early critics.
A Naturalistic Spin
So, what sets Oakley’s version apart? For one, there’s a mood shift—reviews are unanimous that it’s a bit more ‘real’ and less caught up in the waxy polish you get from classic period drama. The drama’s there, but dialled back, less of the heaving bosoms and sweeping lawns, and a bit more earthy understatement.
Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles step into the Dashwood sisters’ shoes this time—fair play to them, considering they’re following Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet, no pressure. And in a turn that’s getting proper buzz, Frank Dillane is apparently making quite the impression, getting name-checked a few times as a standout.
Variety’s take is that it’s a ‘grounded drama’ and, perhaps pointedly, ‘oddly safe.’ Meanwhile, The Wrap were charmed enough to call it an ‘earthy interpretation’ and found it ‘intensely riveting’ in its own scruffier way.
Divided Critics
Of course, not everyone’s ready to line up for seconds. The Hollywood Reporter didn’t love the film’s muted cinematography, noting it gets ‘low-energy’ and, frankly, a bit drab on the visuals. Their point is that in bringing the emotions closer to our current sensibilities, something glossy and escapist has been traded away. If you like your Austen adaptations with a dash of 21st-century realism over paintbox pastels, maybe not a deal breaker—but don’t expect fancy frocks to steal the show.
Who’s Who (& When’s It Out?)
This run through the Austen circuit is directed by Georgia Oakley, working from a script by Diana Reid. Besides the new Dashwood duo and Dillane, you’ll spot Caitríona Balfe, Herbert Nordrum, Bodhi Rae Breathnach, George MacKay, and Fiona Shaw propping up the cast list. Behind the scenes, it’s produced by Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner from Working Title Films (if you’ve watched a British romcom since 1990, you’ve seen their work), with India Flint and Jo Wallett, plus Thea Paulett and Angela Moneke attached as execs.
- Director: Georgia Oakley
- Screenplay: Diana Reid
- Leads: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Esmé Creed-Miles
- Key Cast: Caitríona Balfe, Frank Dillane, Herbert Nordrum, Bodhi Rae Breathnach, George MacKay, Fiona Shaw
- UK Premiere: 25 September 2026
- Theatrical Release: 16 October 2026 (UK/US wide)
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