Another decade, another adaptation of Great Expectations leaps from page-to-screen, this time brought to us by Peaky Blinders and Taboo writer Steven Knight.
What makes this must-watch television is surely the appearance of Olivia Colman (Empire of Light) in the plum-role of Miss Havisham. A character previously embodied by Gillian Anderson in the 2011 BBC version, and Helena Bonham Carter in Mike Newell’s 2012 big-screen version.
An adaptation of the classic Charles Dickens novel, which tells the story of the orphan Pip (Fionn Whitehead), who spent his childhood as a blacksmith’s apprentice and suddenly receives a windfall from an unknown benefactor that allows him to travel to London and enter high society, only for the mysterious and eccentric Miss Havisham (Olivia Colman) to show him a dark new world of possibilities. Check out the trailer below…
Great Expectations stars Fionn Whitehead as Pip, Olivia Colman as Miss Havisham, Johnny Harris as Magwitch, Ashley Thomas as Jaggers, Hayley Squires as Sara Gargery, Owen McDonnell as Joe Gargery, Laurie Ogden as Biddy, Trystan Gravelle as Compeyson, Matt Berry as Mr. Pumblechook, Rudi Dharmalingam as Wemmick, Parth Thakerar as Herbert Pocket, and Matthew Needham as Mr. Drummle with Tom Sweet and Chloe Lea as Young Pip and Young Estella.
The first two episodes of Great Expectations debut in the United States on Hulu on March 26th. You can tune into the six-part series around the world by tuning into the BBC, Disney+’s Star thread, or Star+ depending on availability.