Here’s a movie that somehow managed to slip by my radar completely. Mike Newell (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Four Weddings and a Funeral) has directed a new adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic novel Great Expectations that stars Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Jeremy Hawkins, and Sally Hawkins.
For those of you unfamiliar with the novel, it tells the story of “a humble orphan who suddenly becomes a gentleman with the help of an unknown benefactor.”
Today, thanks to First Showing, we have for you the first trailer and new images for the film. The first thing that pops out about it, especially from the trailer, is just how dark this version looks. You may recall that Newell brought a new level of darkness to the Harry Potter franchise, but for someone like me who is most familiar with the excellent David Lean adaptation of Great Expectations from 1946, it is quite a change.
It certainly looks intriguing, but as most of you probably already know, this is a novel that has been filmed multiple times already, so it will be interesting to see how it tries to stand out from previous adaptations.
The film is set to premiere at the Toronto Film Festival next month, but does not yet have a US release date. However, it’s probably safe to assume that we can expect it to arrive in theaters in time for Oscar consideration.
Check out the trailer and images below and let us know what you think in the comments.