Is this the most A-list audiobook ever?
Forget screen credits – some of Britain’s biggest stars are lending their voices to a new audio adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, released by Audible to mark the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth.
Marisa Abela plays a sharp-tongued Elizabeth Bennet opposite Harris Dickinson’s brooding Mr Darcy.
Jessie Buckley voices the snide Caroline Bingley, Bill Nighy brings Mr Bennet to life and Glenn Close takes on the formidable Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
While some fans are mourning the fact this dream cast never appears together on screen, Ms Abela confirmed they did come together in the studio.
‘Recording this with such a phenomenal cast and team was such a true joy,’ she said.
Marisa Abela plays a sharp-tongued Elizabeth Bennet opposite Harris Dickinson’s brooding Mr Darcy. ‘Recording this with such a phenomenal cast and team was such a true joy,’ she said
Mr Dickinson, 28, whose credits include The Iron Claw and Babygirl, said: ‘Playing Mr Darcy was an amazing experience. I’ve always known him as this iconic character, but getting to really dive into the novel through this process gave me a whole new appreciation for him and the world’
Glenn Close takes on the formidable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, while Jessie Buckley voices the snide Caroline Bingley and Bill Nighy brings Mr Bennet to life
The starry casting comes after Keira Knightly starred as the main character in the Regency-era project in 2005 alongside Matthew Macfadyen (pictured)
Staying ‘faithful to the original text’, the production adds what Audible calls a ‘unique interior perspective’ from Elizabeth Bennet, offering insight into the heroine’s inner world.
The audiobook will be released in English on September 9 in the UK, US, Canada, India and , with translations in Castilian Spanish, French, German, Italian and Brazilian Portuguese to follow.
Ms Abela, 28, known for Industry and the Amy Winehouse biopic Back to Black, said: ‘Elizabeth Bennet is one of the most fiercely intelligent and iconic characters in literature, and stepping into her shoes has been an incredible honour.
‘What I love about this adaptation is how it lets us hear her inner world in such a vivid, intimate way – it feels both timeless and fresh.’
Mr Dickinson, 28, whose credits include The Iron Claw and Babygirl, added: ‘Playing Mr Darcy was an amazing experience. I’ve always known him as this iconic character, but getting to really dive into the novel through this process gave me a whole new appreciation for him and the world.
‘Being part of such a talented cast made it even better. It’s a real privilege to be part of something so timeless.’
The supporting cast includes Will Poulter as Mr Wickham, Toheeb Jimoh as Mr Bingley, David Gyasi as Mr Gardiner, Rosalind Eleazar as Mrs Gardiner, Bertie Carvel as Mr Collins and Leah Harvey as Charlotte Lucas.
Other members of the Bennet family are voiced by Marianne Jean-Baptiste as Mrs Bennet, Sophie Wilde as Jane, Antonia Salib as Kitty, Patricia Allison as Lydia and Aasiya Shah as Mary.
‘It’s remarkable how Pride and Prejudice has stood the test of time globally to be one of every generation’s favourite love stories,’ said Aurélie de Troyer, Audible’s head of regional content for Europe.
Staying ‘faithful to the original text’, the latest production adds what Audible calls a ‘unique interior perspective’ from Elizabeth Bennet, offering insight into the heroine’s inner world
Netflix announced the cast for its upcoming six-part limited series based on Jane Austen’s beloved 1800s novel Pride & Prejudice with Emma Corrin and Jack Lowden in lead roles
‘Lulu Raczka’s script is thrilling and conveys all of Jane Austen’s energy in an engaging, modern way. Through the intimacy of audio, we have the unique ability to make the passion and romance truly electric, and Marisa Abela and Harris Dickinson’s chemistry as Elizabeth and Darcy is undeniable.’
This latest production joins Audible’s growing roster of high-profile audio dramas, including 1984 with Andrew Garfield, Tom Hardy, Cynthia Erivo and Andrew Scott, The Mysterious Affair at Styles starring Peter Dinklage and a trilogy of Dickens adaptations produced by Sam Mendes.
The company is also preparing new versions of all seven Harry Potter books, with the first due out in late 2025. Details of the cast are yet to be announced.
And for those who still prefer their Austen on screen, Pride and Prejudice is set to return to television in a new limited series for Netflix.
Dolly Alderton, the bestselling author of Everything I Know About Love, has written a six-part adaptation directed by Heartstopper’s Euros Lyn.
‘Once in a generation, a group of people get to retell this wonderful story and I feel very lucky that I get to be a part of it,’ Alderton said.
The series will stay true to the period setting and features a high-profile cast.
The Crown’s Emma Corrin stars as Elizabeth Bennet, with Slow Horses actor Jack Lowden as Darcy and Oscar winner Olivia Colman as Mrs Bennet.