Sense and Sensibility 2026: Release Date, Cast, Reviews
The new Sense and Sensibility opens in US cinemas on Friday, October 16, 2026. Georgia Oakley's film of Jane Austen's novel has been in UK cinemas since September 25 and opens in Australia and New Zealand on Thursday, October 15. Focus Features releases it in the US and Universal Pictures International elsewhere, Focus said when it announced the dates. No streaming or home-viewing date has been announced. Some older articles still give September 11 for the US, the date first announced; Focus moved it by a month, TheWrap reported on March 11.
Reviews so far are mostly positive. At 7:22 pm UTC on October 10, Rotten Tomatoes showed 78% of 40 critics' reviews as positive (31 positive and 9 negative, average rating 7.1 out of 10), and Metacritic gave it 72 out of 100 from 17 reviews, which it labels generally favorable. Both scores change as more reviews arrive. Variety called it "a solid undertaking" but also "oddly safe", in its review.
Release dates by country
| Country | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom and Ireland | Fri, Sept 25 (in cinemas now) | Box Office Mojo, Irish Film Classification Office |
| France, Belgium, Switzerland | Wed, Sept 23 (in cinemas now) | Box Office Mojo |
| Greece, Cyprus | Thu, Sept 24 (in cinemas now) | Box Office Mojo |
| Australia | Thu, Oct 15 | Variety Australia |
| New Zealand | Thu, Oct 15 | Box Office Mojo |
| United States | Fri, Oct 16 | TheWrap, Focus Features |
Universal Pictures International handles countries outside the US. The sources we checked do not list a date for India or most other countries, so check your local cinema listings.
Quick facts
- Director and writer: Georgia Oakley directs, from a screenplay by Diana Reid based on Austen's 1811 novel.
- Runtime: 132 minutes, according to Variety, the BBFC and the Irish board.
- Studios: Working Title Films with November Pictures and Kiddo Films. Working Title also made the 2005 Pride & Prejudice and the 2020 Emma, Variety Australia notes.
- First screening: world premiere at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London on September 15, Wikipedia says.
- Box office so far: $6.6 million worldwide, all of it outside the US and $4.9 million of it in the UK, according to Box Office Mojo on October 9.
Who is in it
- Daisy Edgar-Jones as Elinor Dashwood
- Esmé Creed-Miles as Marianne Dashwood
- Bodhi Rae Breathnach as Margaret Dashwood
- Caitríona Balfe as Mrs Dashwood
- George MacKay as Edward Ferrars
- Frank Dillane as John Willoughby
- Herbert Nordrum as Colonel Brandon
- Fiona Shaw as Mrs Jennings
- Stacy Martin as Fanny Dashwood
- Tom Brooke as John Dashwood
The cast list follows Variety Australia, Variety's review and Wikipedia.
What is it about?
It is Austen's first published novel, about two sisters with very different temperaments. After their father dies, practical Elinor and passionate Marianne Dashwood must leave their family estate with their widowed mother and move to a humble cottage, where they face love and heartbreak for the first time, according to TheWrap and Variety Australia. This page avoids spoilers.
How it compares with the 1995 film
The best-known earlier film is Ang Lee's 1995 version, which earned seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, and won Emma Thompson the Oscar for best adapted screenplay, TheWrap notes. Variety's reviewer calls the 2026 film "slightly muted" next to it.
| 1995 film | 2026 film | |
|---|---|---|
| Director | Ang Lee | Georgia Oakley |
| Screenplay | Emma Thompson | Diana Reid |
| Elinor Dashwood | Emma Thompson | Daisy Edgar-Jones |
| Marianne Dashwood | Kate Winslet | Esmé Creed-Miles |
| Colonel Brandon | Alan Rickman | Herbert Nordrum |
| Edward Ferrars | Hugh Grant | George MacKay |
Age rating and content advice
In the US the film is rated PG by the MPA, Variety and Box Office Mojo both list. In the UK the BBFC's advice line reads "upsetting scenes, very mild threat, sex references, language", and its page lists the details for parents. The Irish board's comment is "Mild violence and threat. Some scenes that might frighten very young viewers", on its page.
Where to watch
In cinemas only for now. We found no announced date for streaming, rental or purchase. Showtimes and tickets are on your local cinema's website or app.
The same weekend in the US
Sense and Sensibility opens the same day as Paramount's Street Fighter and 20th Century's Whalefall, and a week after Sony's The Social Reckoning, TheWrap noted.
Sources
- Focus Features: Focus Features, Universal Pictures International, and Working Title Set Release Dates (November 17, 2025)
- TheWrap: Sense and Sensibility Release Date Pushed a Month (March 11)
- Variety: Sense and Sensibility review (September 21)
- Variety Australia: Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles Heading to Sydney (September 9)
- Box Office Mojo: Sense and Sensibility (2026)
- BBFC: Sense and Sensibility and Irish Film Classification Office: Sense & Sensibility
- Wikipedia: Sense and Sensibility (2026 film)
