Hulu Brings New Life to ‘Great Expectations’ with Steven Knight Adaptation

The wait is finally over for the fans of Charles Dickens’s classic novel “Great Expectations” and the Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight. BBC is soon releasing the adaptation of Charles Dicken’s 1861 classic novel. Knight has taken on the challenge of bringing the timeless tale to life in a modern adaptation, set to premiere exclusively on Hulu. The announcement has caused a stir in the entertainment industry, with many eager to see what Steven has in store for the beloved story.

Great Expectations, a new limited series from FX in association with BBC, premieres March 26 only on @hulu. pic.twitter.com/Xo7jL367gQ

— FX Networks (@FXNetworks) February 7, 2023

The first two episodes of the six-part limited series will debut on March 26 exclusively on Hulu in the United States. On the 211th anniversary of Dickens’ birth, Hulu will stream the first two episodes of the limited series for viewers in the US, while the rest of the globe may watch Great Expectations on Disney+ under the Star name, or Star+ in Latin America. After the first two-part launch, further episodes will run weekly on Sundays. Although it is not widely accessible in many countries outside the United States, Hulu may still be accessed from outside the United States in some ways.

The novel has been adapted for the screen several times. Still, Knight’s version promises to bring a fresh perspective to the tale of Pip. Knight is known for his captivating storytelling and ability to bring historical dramas to life, making him the perfect choice to tackle this adaptation. Fans of Peaky Blinders will be pleased to see that Knight has brought along some familiar faces for the journey.

The lead role in Dickens’s “Great Expectations” is Pip, an orphan who dreams of a better life until a cruel turn of events and the diabolical schemes of the enigmatic and eccentric Miss Havisham open his eyes to a bleak reality. Pip, burdened by the high hopes of others, must decide whether or not this new life comes at too high a price. Dickens’ story, a satire of the social stratification system, was originally serialized in weekly installments starting in December 1860 and finally published in 1861.

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Great Expectations is the thirteenth and final book by Charles Dickens. Fionn Whitehead will play Pip, an orphan who grows up throughout the plot (Bandersnatch). Ashley Thomas (Top Boy) plays Jaggers, Johnny Harris (A Christmas Carol) plays Magwitch, Shalom Brune-Franklin (The Tourist) plays Estella, Hayley Squires (I, Daniel Blake) plays Sara, Owen McDonnell (Killing Eve) plays Joe, Trystant Gale (Beast) plays Compeyson. Matthew Berry (FX’s What We Do in the Shadows) plays Mr. Pumblechuck.

Steven Knight is writing and executive producing the new version, a six-part miniseries. Both Tom Hardy (Mad Max: Fury Road) and Ridley Scott (The Revenant) will serve as executive producers. Marina Brackenbury and the BBC’s Dean Baker, David W. Zucker, Kate Crowe, and Mona Qureshi also serve as executive producers. FX Productions, the BBC, Scott Free, and Hardy Son & Baker collaborated on the series.

The trailer showed Miss Havisham (Olivia Colman) first seeing Pip (Fionn Whitehead) and appreciating the young man’s potential in front of her as she took a long look at him. Even though it was just a few minutes long, the clip did an excellent job of establishing a tense and exciting mood for the concert that was to come.

There have already been multiple adaptations of Dickens’ work on stage and TV so the next series won’t be the first. The narrative has recently been translated into a three-part BBC series (2011) and a feature film (2012). Miss Havisham was played by Gillian Anderson, Pip by Douglas Booth, and Magwitch by Ray Winstone in the 2011 season.

However, in the 2012 film adaptation, Ralph Fiennes played Magwitch, Jeremy Irvine played Pip, and Helena Bonham Carter played Miss Havisham. With the man behind the hit series Peaky Blinders leading the show, Great Expectations fans are nothing less than excited.