Overview
Back in 1940, when Alfred Hitchcock brought gothic mystery novel Rebecca to the screen, he nabbed an Oscar for Best Picture for his troubles. While the story has popped up in both film and TV form over the eight decades since, it's now returning with another exciting British filmmaker at the helm: Ben Wheatley, the director behind High-Rise and Free Fire.
Wheatley's work is always cause for excitement, and has been since his 2009 debut Down Terrace. Also on his resume: 2011's particularly sinister Kill List, 2012 dark comedy Sightseers, 2013's trippy A Field in England and 2018's Happy New Year, Colin Burstead. But, starring Lily James, Armie Hammer and Kristin Scott Thomas — and looking rather luxe, as the just-released first trailer shows — Rebecca might just be his biggest project yet.
In his version of Daphne du Maurier's 1938 tale, Wheatley steps into a new marriage between widower Maxim de Winter (Hammer) and his fresh-faced bride (James). Once they've tied the knot, the couple endeavour to settle into the de Winter family's coastal estate, Manderley; however, the resident housekeeper Mrs Danvers (Scott Thomas) is hardly welcoming, and the memory of Maxim's first wife Rebecca lingers noticeably.
When Rebecca hits Netflix on October 21, viewers can expect a gothic mystery filled with psychological thrills, as well as plenty of gorgeous sets, costumes and imagery in general — befitting the classic tale.
Case-wise, Rebecca also features The Handmaid's Tale's Ann Dowd, and reunites Wheatley with High-Rise's Keeley Hawes and Free Fire and Happy New Year, Colin Burstead's Sam Riley.
Check out the trailer below:
Rebecca hits Netflix on Wednesday, October 21.
Top image: Kerry Brown/Netflix.