After a successful 2025 run, a sequel series to the 91% RT BBC series,Miss Austen, is in development, with main cast members set to return.Miss Austenpremiered in February 2025, as part of the PBS’s long-runningMasterpieceseries, with four episodes receiving exceptional critical acclaim. The show starred Keeley Hawes (Bodyguard), Rose Leslie (Game of Thrones), Alfred Enoch (Harry Potter), and more. Rather than adapting an Austen book likePride & PrejudiceorPersuasion,Miss Austenoffers a fictionalized depiction of the legendary author’s life, adapted from a novel by Gill Hornby.
Deadlinereported thatkey cast members, led by Keeley Hawes, will be returning for a sequel production titledMiss Austen Returns. Gill Hornby just recently published a sequel toMiss Austen, titledThe Elopement, which will giveMasterpiecethe material for its follow-up. PBS and the BBC will be partnering up again, with screenwriter Andrea Gibb already developing the scripts for Bonnie Productions. On the matter, producer Christine Langan explained how the story forMiss Austen Returnswould take shape, saying the following:
“People watchingMiss Austenmight think, how does it return? To a large degree, it’s down to the fact that Gill wrote another novel, which we optioned, and which created the potential for Cassandra to come back. ’The Elopement’ is drawn from very rich family history;the Austens were very fertile, there’s a lot of them. This is a well-researched true story that happens later on [fromMiss Austen], around the 1820s, and to a wing of the family that involves Cassandra.”
What The Miss Austen Sequel Means
Masterpiece Is Building On Its Recent Success
Jane Austen is a name that will always offer some appeal, be it for adaptations of her work or for period dramas inspired by her life. 1800s historical dramas are a timeless genre, as proven by titles likeBridgerton, which demonstrate a fresh approach and have achieved tremendous success.Miss Austen’scritical reviews and the decision to return for a sequel illustrate the title’s success, and with Netflix developing a newPride & Prejudiceadaptation, now is the perfect time to capitalize on the name.
Christine Langan continued to explore what the sequel series could offer, saying, “Cassandra is carrying the flame in the present-tense part, andrather than burning letters and looking after Jane’s privacy as in the first series, this is about an interpretation of Jane’s meaning and value.” This means the sequel show will continue to explore multiple timelines, though the Cassandra character will build off her development from the first show.
Our Take On Miss Austen Returns
Gill Hornby’s New Book Is An Indicator Of The Sequel’s Potential
While I’m usually not a huge fan of miniseries being transformed into multi-season endeavors, I feel confident in the fact thatMiss Austen Returnswill be based on a novel by the same author. This isn’t just a studio trying to milk a title for more content; there’s a clear path for the story to take going forward, and it seems like Cassandra’s narrative is being handled with care. AfterMiss Austen’ssuccess, I wouldn’t be surprised ifMiss Austen Returnswas an even bigger hit.
