Netflix has revealed the first photos from Rebecca. This is the latest from director Ben Wheatley, who is venturing into iconic territory with this one. Not only is this an adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's beloved 1938 gothic novel of the same name, but it is also a literary work that was previously adapted by the legendary Alfred Hitchcock in 1940. In this case, Wheatley is working with Lily James (Baby Driver, Downton Abbey) and Armie Hammer (The Social Network, Call Me By Your Name), who lead the cast in front of the camera.
The photos largely focus on our two leads, Mrs. de Winter (Lily James) and Maxim de Winter (Armie Hammer). They also give us a good sense of the style featured in this new adaptation. One of the photos is a behind-the-scenes shot, giving us a look at Ben Wheatley on set filming on the beach. The production looks lavish and colorful. Netflix also revealed along with the photos that Rebecca will be debuting on October 21.
Jane Goldman, Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse penned the screenplay. The cast includes Kristin Scott Thomas, Keeley Hawes, Ann Dowd, Sam Riley, Tom Goodman-Hill, Mark Lewis Jones, John Hollingworth and Bill Paterson. Joan Fontaine, Laurence Olivier and Judith Anderson starred in Alfred Hitchcock's version, which served as the filmmaker's first American movie. Eric Fellner, Tim Bevan and Nira Park are producing the new adaptation for Netflix.
Ben Wheatley previously directed movies such as Kill List and High-Rise. He also worked with Armie Hammer in the past, as the two collaborated on 2016's' Free Fire. Wheatley is also on board to direct Tomb Raider 2, which will continue Alicia Vikander's version of the franchise. Lily James, meanwhile, is coming off a pair of hits in the form of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and Yesterday.
Rebecca picks up after a whirlwind romance in Monte Carlo with handsome widower Maxim de Winter (Armie Hammer) and his new wife (Lily James). The newly married young woman arrives at Manderley, her new husband's imposing family estate on a windswept English coast. Naive and inexperienced, she starts to settle into the trappings of her new life. However, she finds herself living in the shadow of Maxim's first wife, the elegant and refined Rebecca. Her haunting legacy is kept alive by Manderley's sinister housekeeper Mrs. Danvers (Kristin Scott Thomas).
This is just one of many high-profile original movies Netflix has coming down the pipeline this year. The Old Guard, Extraction and Da 5 Bloods have already proven to be big hits in a year that is sorely lacking in movies due to the theatrical shut down that kicked off back in March. With Rebecca set to arrive relatively soon, we should be getting a trailer in the near future, which will provide us a better feel for this new interpretation. Be sure to check out the photos for yourself, which were originally shared by the Netflix Film Twitter account.
