‘Pride & Prejudice’ Netflix Removal Date Revealed

Director Joe Wright’s Pride & Prejudice may be a timeless love story, but the 2005 Oscar-nominated film’s time is running out on Netflix. The beloved adaptation of Jane Austen’s 1813 novel of the same name, starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen as Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy, had an expiration date placed on it when the streamer revealed its full list of titles leaving this month, with Pride & Prejudice (2005) scheduled to leave the Netflix streaming library on Tuesday, Oct. 31.

Considered to be one of the best adaptations of Austen’s ever-popular story, Wright’s movie centers around Elizabeth Bennet (Knightley), the eldest of five daughters who live with their mother and father in the English countryside. Due to the circumstances of the time and environment, as well as her being the oldest of her siblings, the outspoken Elizabeth faces pressure from her parents to marry, and sparks fly when she meets upper-class Mr. Darcy (Macfadyen), whose overly reserved nature threatens the relationship. Marking Wright’s feature directorial debut, the movie, produced by Working Title Films in association with StudioCanal, also stars Rosamund Pike, Simon Woods, Brenda Blethyn, Donald Sutherland, Tom Hollander, Jena Malone, Carey Mulligan, Talulah Riley, and Judi Dench, among others.

Wright’s take on Pride & Prejudice has been credited for introducing a new generation to Austen’s love story. The film was also credited by Austen Scholars with creating a new hybrid that blends traditional traits of the heritage film with “youth-oriented filmmaking techniques.”

The movie was released in the UK in September 2005, followed by a November 2005 release in the US, and became a commercial success. Pride & Prejudice earned $121 million worldwide and was met with critical praise. The movie currently holds an 87% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, where a critics consensus reads, “Sure, it’s another adaptation of cinema’s fave Jane Austen novel, but key performances and a modern filmmaking sensibility make this familiar period piece fresh and enjoyable.” The film also holds an 89% audience score.

Following its theatrical release and well-reception, Pride & Prejudice went on to pick up numerous accolades. The film received four nominations at the 78th Academy Awards, including Best Actress in a Leading Role for Knightley, as well as six British Academy Film Awards nominations, three Empire Awards nominations, and two Golden Globes nominations. It won Boston Society of Film Critics award for Best New Filmmaker, a British Academy Film Awards for Most Promising Newcomer, the Empire Award for Best British Film, and two London Film Critics’ Circle awards for British Director of the Year and British Supporting Actor of the Year (Hollander). The film is set to leave Netflix on Oct. 31.