Netflix's Adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca Gets First Photos and Release Date

Director Ben Wheatley developed his own take on Daphne du Maurier’s Gothic novel Rebecca, which [...]

By Patrick Cavanaugh

rebecca movie original 1940 alfred hitchcock
(Photo: United Artists)

Director Ben Wheatley developed his own take on Daphne du Maurier's Gothic novel Rebecca, which was famously adapted into a 1940 film by Alfred Hitchcock, with The Daily Mail releasing the first photos from the film and confirms that it is set to debut on Netflix on October 21st. Not only is the original Rebecca considered one of Hitchcock's best films, it also marked his first American production and went on to snag Oscars for Best Picture and Best Cinematography, in addition to earning nine more Oscar nominations that year. The original film starred Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine, and Judith Anderson while Armie Hammer, Lily James, and Kristin Scott Thomas takes over their respective roles. You can see the hi-res photos over at The Daily Mail and previews below.

Rebecca tells the story of a newly married young woman who, on arriving at her husband's imposing family estate on a bleak English coast, finds herself battling the shadow of his dead first wife, the mysterious Rebecca, whose legacy continues to haunt the house.

The new film marks an ambitious effort for Wheatley, with his previous genre films Kill List, A Field in England, and High-Rise being far more visceral experiences than what was depicted in Hitchcock's original, though his teaming with The Woman in Black writer Jane Goldman likely helped shape the tone of the Gothic tale. Actress James noted that having both Wheatley and Goldman help craft the film amplified various components of her character "so that you feel the complexity of who she is."

At least one performer was immensely passionate about the source material, with Scott Thomas admitting that she begged for the role of Mrs. Danvers.

"I wanted that mixture of jealousy, of envy, of rage!" the actress admitted. "You feel she's a woman of catastrophically reduced circumstances."

She also enjoyed the allure of the conflict between generations of characters and "the older woman despising the younger woman" concept.

It's important, however, to note that, while the source material had previously been adapted, this new take was a different approach to the novel as opposed to a remake of Hitchcock's film.

"We're doing an adaptation for today, with the idea that women aren't necessarily the weaker sex," Scott Thomas pointed out.

Stay tuned for details on Rebecca before it lands on Netflix on October 21st.

Are you looking forward to the new adaptation? Let us know in the comments below or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

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