Disappointed by The Walking Dead lately but still craving thrilling zombie action? You’ll soon have another way to scratch your undead itch: with the feature film Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, hitting theaters February 5.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies trailer: watch the Bennet sisters battle the undead
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Yes, it’s just what it sounds like: Jane Austen’s classic tale infused with zombie-centric gore. The movie stars Cinderella’s Lily James as heroine Elizabeth Bennet — only in this universe, Elizabeth and her sisters “are trained for battle, not the kitchen,” as Mr. Bennet (Charles Dance) proudly declares in the official trailer. They spend their days fighting the hordes of undead that started infesting the English countryside after the Black Plague hit — but still find time to make it to a ball or two.
The cast is packed with recognizable faces, including Bella Heathcote as Jane, Suki Waterhouse as Kitty, and Boardwalk Empire’s Jack Huston as Mr. Wickham. And though we’ve yet to get a glimpse of her onscreen (only her voice appears in the trailer), Game of Thrones star Lena Headey plays Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is based on Seth Grahame-Smith’s 2009 reimagining of Austen’s novel, which became a New York Times bestseller. Grahame-Smith was also behind 2010’s Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, whose 2012 movie adaptation was widely panned by critics. But this trailer shows huge promise; the special effects are legitimately creepy, and it’s pretty thrilling to see the sisters Bennet slicing and dicing the undead like badasses. The movie is poised to put an awesome feminist spin on Austen’s classic work — and, more importantly, it has the potential to help address Hollywood’s struggle to produce women-centered films, especially action movies (see also: Mad Max: Fury Road).
After all, you have to respect a woman who can kick some serious zombie ass while wearing a corset.
