New Netflix Persuasion trailer captures the essence of the beloved novel

Persuasion was the last novel Jane Austen completed and over the years, has become just as beloved as the fan-favorite Pride and Prejudice. But while Pride and Prejudice has received countless adaptations, Persuasion has only been adapted into a film a couple of times.

So when the news came out that Netflix was adapting Persuasion into a movie, Jane Austen fans rejoiced. But we didn’t know what the film would look like. Well, with the trailer’s recent release, now we do.

At first glance, the trailer is perfection. Jane Austen loved nothing as much as she loved satire and this new adaption looks like it mixes humor and romance in equal measure.

It starts off with Anne Eliot (played by Dakota Johnson) breaking the fourth wall and talking to the audience about her story, her family, and all the hijinks that happen as the movie goes on. While Anne is usually played as a plain-looking, sad girl, it’s so fun to see her with a little bit more sass.

Netflix’s film adaptation of Persuasion is coming this July

Richard E. Grant plays Mr. Eliot, Anne’s father, and the casting gods must have been involved in this decision because it’s spot-on. Mr. Eliot is a pompous man who only cares about if everyone thinks he’s rich and handsome and perfect. Considering the family is bleeding money and he doesn’t care much for his children, he is anything but perfect.

Anne’s sister, Mary, is played by Mia McKenna-Bruce, and based on the trailer, McKenna-Bruce got the part exactly right. Mary is worried more about herself than others and loves any attention she can get. The line about not knowing where her children are represent her to a tee.

Cut to Captain Wentworth played by Cosmo Jarvis. This is the man Anne was forced to give up as a young girl because he was too poor and had no connections. Well, now he’s a rich captain in the Royal Navy and her father and aunt have no issues with associating with him now. Oh, how the tables turn.

The two are pretty much forced to spend time together and what at first is awkward becomes cordial and friendly. And while it’s hard to tell from the trailer alone, you can still feel the tension between them. They never got over one another.

But Captain Wentworth isn’t the only one interested in Anne’s heart. Mr. Eliot (a long-lost relation; it’s Jane Austen, it happens) is played by Henry Golding and if that’s not perfect casting, I don’t know what is. Imagine having to choose between Cosmo Jarvis and Henry Golding. That is not an easy decision which is what makes it so wonderful.

If we’re going by the book, Mr. Eliot’s intentions are less than innocent but he is definitely charming, handsome, and “don’t forget rich.”

If you know anything about Austen, you should know how the story ends. It is a love story after all.

Persuasion is famous for featuring one of the most romantic letters ever written. I can’t wait to see how they adapt that for the screen.

It will also be interesting to see how far they stray from the book. The scene in the trailer where Anne imitates Wentworth with a basket and some jam is certainly not in the book. And I don’t think Austen would have used the term “exes.”

But the best part of Austen is making it your own and the creators seemed to have done that in the best way possible. It definitely looks like they used Emma (2020) and Pride and Prejudice (2005) as their muses and with how good those movies are, who could blame them?

Persuasion will be available to stream on Netflix on Friday, July 15, 2022.

Take a look at the new trailer here:

What do you think of the new Persuasion trailer? Are you excited to watch the movie? Let us know in the comments below!