'Emma' Trailer: Jane Austen's Classic Comedy Gets A Little Quirky With Anya-Taylor Joy

Jane Austen's classic comedy Emma has been adapted several times in a variety of different ways. Gwyneth Paltrow starred in a film adaptation back in 1996, BBC turned it into a miniseries in 2009, and the classic teen comedy Clueless gave us a modern spin on the tale that may as well be the definitive adaptation of the story. But director Autumn de Wilde may have offered some competition in a new adaptation that keeps the period setting but seems to have a quirky, contemporary comedic sensibility. Watch the Emma trailer below.

Anya Taylor-Joy stars in this new take on Emma, which feels like it could have the comedic bite of The Favourite while going for a more clean-cut visual style not unlike Marie Antoinette. It almost has the presence of a Wes Anderson movie by way of Jane Austen, which sounds like a rather refreshing way to approach the classic material. But it's not quite veering into the more casual style of something like the recent Apple TV+ series Dickinson.

Getting these period movies to feel modern without sacrificing the classic nature of the story and the setting in which they take place can be difficult. But with the right cast, the oldest material can feel lively and refreshing, even if it's a story that's been told dozens of times before. Thankfully, there's an outstanding cast attached to bring this adaptation to life. You can't go wrong with Bill Nighy as Emma's father, and the rest of the cast includes Johnny Flynn, Mia Goth, Miranda Hart, Josh O'Connor, Callum Turner, Rupert Graves, Gemma Whelan, Amber Anderson, Tanya Reynolds, and Connor Swindells.

This is the most high profile project that Autumn de Wilde has taken on as a filmmaker, having previously directed over half a dozen music videos for Beck, as well as a handful of others for the band Rilo Kiley and their frontwoman Jenny Lewis. Perhaps this could be the start of a new direction for her career.

Jane Austen's beloved comedy about finding your equal and earning your happy ending, is reimagined in this delicious new film adaptation of Emma. Handsome, clever, and rich, Emma Woodhouse is a restless queen bee without rivals in her sleepy little town. In this glittering satire of social class and the pain of growing up, Emma must adventure through misguided matches and romantic missteps to find the love that has been there all along.

Emma arrives in theaters on February 21, 2020.