Netflix has been doing pretty good lately with their originals, digging up the rare genres and finely scripted movies and series, giving us a roller coaster ride all the while. But are you ready for yet another ride, with the rom-com and thriller served in one plate? You don’t know when suspense is going to grip you and keep your heart pounding till the end. Yes, we are talking about the upcoming Netflix original, Rebecca, a British romantic thriller film directed by Ben Wheatley from a screenplay by Jane Goldman, Joe Shrapnel, and Anna Waterhouse. It is based on the 1938 novel of the same name by Daphne du Maurier. The film is scheduled to be released on 21 October 2020, by Netflix.
The official description of Rebecca on Netflix goes like this, “After a whirlwind romance with a wealthy widower, a naive bride moves to his family estate but can’t escape the haunting shadow of his late wife.” The production of the movie was in talks since 2018 and was already decided that Netflix should be taking the responsibility of distribution. The filming began on 3 June 2019. Cranborne Manor in Dorset was used for filming in July 2019. Filming took place at Hartland Quay in Devon at the end of July 2019.
Rebecca stars Lily James as Mrs. de Winter, Armie Hammer as Maxim de Winter, Kristin Scott Thomas as Mrs. Danvers, Tom Goodman-Hill as Frank Crawley, Keeley Hawes as Beatrice Lacy, Sam Riley as Jack Favell, Ann Dowd as Mrs. Van Hopper
Ben Crompton, Mark Lewis Jones as Inspector Welch, Jane Lapotaire as The Grandmother, and Ashleigh Reynolds as Robert. Lead Lily James told the Daily Mail that this new take on Rebecca is “sometimes trippy and psychedelic” and that she “kept having panic attacks” while shooting the film, as her character “lives in a difficult headspace.” James also noted how the themes of the novel are as relevant as ever. She also said,
We’re doing an adaptation for today, with the idea that women aren’t necessarily the weaker sex.