Persuasion, a Jane Austen drama starring Dakota Johnson, has a trailer on Netflix.
Dakota Johnson, a misunderstood woman caught up in a stormy love affair? No, this isn’t the fourth “50 Shades” film (or a “Suspiria” sequel, though we’d love to see both.)
Johnson stars in Netflix’s latest Jane Austen adaption, “Persuasion,” which premieres on July 15. Thanks to theatrical director Carrie Cracknell, who is making her feature directorial debut with the Netflix film, the quiet longing of protagonist Anne Elliot will soon be known in the United States.
Cracknell directed Jake Gyllenhaal in Broadway’s “Seawall/A Life” and Vanessa Kirby in “Julie” most recently, and helmed the Guardian, Young Vic, and The Space theatres’ commissioned short film “Nora” in 2012.
Ron Bass, the Oscar winner for “Rain Man,” collaborated with Alice Victoria Winslow on the script for “Persuasion.”
Anne Elliot (Johnson) is a non-conforming woman with modern sensibilities who lives with her snooty family on the verge of bankruptcy, according to the official Netflix logline. When Anne’s ex-boyfriend Frederick Wentworth (Cosmo Jarvis) reappears in her life, she must choose between putting the past behind her and following her heart when it comes to second chances.
The period drama also stars Harry Golding, Richard E. Grant, and Nikki Amuka-Bird.
Austen’s final finished novel before her death in 1817 was “Persuasion.” The sad narrative was adapted for the big screen in 1995, starring Amanda Root opposite Ciarán Hinds as the love interest. “Persuasion” was eventually adapted into a TV movie starring Sally Hawkins, which was broadcast on ITV in the United Kingdom in 2007. The novel is also being adapted into a film that will be released in 2022, directed by Mahalia Belo and starring Sarah Snook from “Succession” and Joel Fry from “Game of Thrones.”
Andrew Lazar and Christina Weiss Lurie, producers of “American Sniper,” are nominated for Best Picture for their work on Netflix’s “Persuasion.” Elizabeth Cantillon, through her unnamed MRC Film Romance label, Michael Constable, and David Fliegel serve as executive producers.
In 2022, Johnson will star in his third film, “Persuasion.” The “Lost Daughter” actress starred in the Sundance flicks “Am I OK?” and “Cha Cha Real Smooth,” which will be available on AppleTV+ on June 17. Johnson will also join the MCU next year, appearing alongside Sydney Sweeney as the titular Madame Web in a “Spider-Man” villain origin story.