A new take on Jane Austen's popular novel Pride and Prejudice that promises to tease out its "darker tones" is being developed.
Producers of popular TV series Poldark, Mammoth Screen are developing the adaptation, to be penned by playwright Nina Raine.
Pride and Prejudice is actually a very adult book, much less bonnet-y than people assume. I hope I do justice to Austen's dark intelligence — sparkling, yes, but sparkling like granite," Raine said.
Mammoth managing director Damien Timmer said: "In this age of the box set — with audiences loving to binge on complex, serialised dramas — it feels absolutely right to reassess the great classics. Every generation needs its own adaptation of this perfect novel."
Timmer added: "Nina Raine is one of the most gifted writers working today, and her wit and emotional intelligence make her the perfect match for Jane Austen. She's a devoted fan of the book, but she's never seen any previous adaptations — so pleasingly the novel only exists in her imagination."