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15th Jun 2022

WATCH: New Netflix period drama is the perfect binge-watch for Bridgerton fans

Katy Brennan

And it’s giving Fleabag vibes.

Netflix has released the trailer for its upcoming period drama series Persuasion, based on the classic Jane Austen novel of the same name.

The story revolves around our heroine Anne Elliot, played by 50 Shades of Grey star Dakota Johnson, as she pines for her lost love Frederick Wentworth (Cosmo Jarvis), a man her family would not allow her to marry.

It’s been eight years since she last saw him, but now he’s suddenly back in her life. But while she still has feelings for him, things have changed.

Her family still aren’t big fans of him, plus she has other suitors now – like the dashing Mr. Elliot (Henry Golding). Will the pair still manage to reconnect?

The story is told in a very Fleabag-esque style, as Anne frequently shares observations and glances to the camera, as if we’re along for the ride with her.

“Don’t let anyone tell you how to live, or who to love,” Johnson tells us in the trailer, as her character breaks the fourth wall.

The show’s official synopsis reads: “Living with her snobby family on the brink of bankruptcy, Anne Elliot is an unconforming woman with modern sensibilities.

“When Frederick Wentworth – the dashing one she once sent away – crashes back into her life, Anne must choose between putting the past behind her or listening to her heart when it comes to second chances.”

Back in December 2021, Johnson told Vogue that making Persuasion was “so fun”.

“Doing a Jane Austen film is the dream, and there are only a few of them so I feel incredibly lucky,” she said at the time.

“The cast is amazing and our director Carrie Cracknell is fantastic. I think they’re still in the edit, but I’m so curious to see how it turns out.”

Persuasion arrives on Netflix on 15 July.