“Sense and Sensibility” will be released in US theaters on Sept. 11, 2026 and UK theaters on Sept. 25, 2026, Focus Features, Universal Pictures International (UPI) and Working Title announced on Monday.
Georgia Oakley, who won a People’s Choice Award recently at Venice for her feature directorial debut “Blue Jean,” directed the film from a script by author Diana Reid. The film also stars Esmé Creed-Miles, George MacKay, Caitríona Balfe, Fiona Shaw and Frank Dillane.
Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner of Working Title Films produced “Sense and Sensibility” alongside India Flint of November Pictures and Jo Wallett.
Originally published anonymously with the byline reading, “By a Lady,” Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility” established her as a literary force and follows sisters Elinor (Edgar-Jones) and Marianne Dashwood (Creed-Miles), opposites in their emotional approach, as they navigate love, loss and financial uncertainty amid the societal expectations of 18th century England. Balfe, known for her starring role in “Outlander,” is set to play the Dashwood matriarch.
Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet starred as the Dashwood sisters in the critically-acclaimed 1995 feature film, which also featured the late Alan Rickman and Hugh Grant. The film earned seven Academy Award nominations, nabbing a Best Adapted Screenplay win for Thompson, who wrote the script for the Ang Lee-directed picture.
Focus has worldwide rights on the movie and UPI will handle international distribution for the studio.
