The biggest changes between the new“ Sense and Sensibility ”movie“ ”and Jane Austen’s book

Georgia Oakley's new Sense and Sensibility adaptation honors Jane Austen's original story, with a few exceptions.

The film notably shows a duel on screen that the book leaves off-page.

Starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles, Sense and Sensibility is in theaters Oct. 16.

This article contains spoilers for the 2026 Sense and Sensibility film.

Director Georgia Oakley's moody new Sense and Sensibility adaptation honors its source material, but book fans may notice a few changes.

Based on Jane Austen's debut 1811 novel, the film centers around the Dashwood sisters — Elinor (Daisy Edgar-Jones), Marianne (Esmé Creed-Miles), and Margaret (Bodhi Rae Breathnach) — and their mother (Caitríona Balfe) as the family moves to a small cottage after being forced out of their old home following the death of Mr. Dashwood.

Diana Reid's script highlights Austen's humor and includes some of the novel's most memorable quotes, like Marianne exclaiming, "I require so much!" Yet the story changes a few key details, including how the adult sisters get engaged and the addition of a duel.

Below, we break down the major differences between Austen's work and the film (now in theaters), as well as how the adaptation compares to previous ones.

George MacKay and Daisy Edgar-Jones as Edward Ferrars and Elinor Dashwood in 'Sense and Sensibility'Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features

Elinor's love interest, Edward Ferrars (George MacKay), is secretly engaged to another woman when they meet, as in the book. However, the details of their engagement are slightly more complex in this adaptation. In the film, his parents betroth him to Lucy Steele (Ceara Coveney), but want him to break it off after she loses her family fortune. He decides to honor the commitment, though, despite his lack of affection for Lucy.

In the book, he and Lucy secretly get engaged when they are both young. When his mother finds out, she cuts off his inheritance. In the new film, Edward is also cut off from his family's assets — after they find out he kept his engagement. The betrothal adds a new layer to the story, but the outcome remains the same as in the book: Lucy ends up engaged to and married to Edward's brother, Robert, after he becomes the heir.

In Ang Lee's Oscar-winning 1995 film adaptation, the engagement is closer to the book, with Edward admitting he proposed to Lucy when he was young and foolish.

Frank Dillane as John Willoughby in 'Sense and Sensibility'Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features

The film features a duel between John Willoughby (Frank Dillane) and Colonel Brandon (Herbert Nordrum) after Willoughby drunkenly visits the estate where Marianne and Elinor are staying. Although Willoughby does show up drunk at the Palmers' residence in the book after hearing of Marianne's illness, the duel doesn't happen then.

In fact, the duel between the suitors happens off-page. Brandon mentions it briefly to Elinor, saying the pair was "unwounded" after meeting "by appointment, he to defend, I to punish the conduct."

Oakley's adaptation, however, turns the duel into a dramatic moment. The men march outside with their pistols as the Dashwoods watch from a window. Brandon shoots into the sky, while Willoughby aims at the other man and misses. The moment leads Marianne to consider Brandon a potential love interest, as he finally shows the "passion" she craves.

The 1995 film does not show the duel; however, the Andrew Davies-penned 2008 BBC miniseries shows a swordfight between the men.

Herbert Nordrum as Colonel Brandon in 'Sense and Sensibility'Credit: Alex Bailey/Focus Features

In the book, Brandon is protective of Eliza, the daughter of his former sister-in-law (also named Eliza). The elder Eliza is dead before the story starts, and Willoughby seduces and impregnates the younger Eliza. She gives birth and relocates to the countryside.

The 2026 film omits the younger Eliza completely and ends the plotline on a darker note; Willoughby impregnates the elder Eliza, and she later dies. We don't see her on screen in the new film.

In the 2008 BBC adaptation, Willoughby's seduction of the teenage Eliza opens the miniseries.

Daisy Edgar-Jones as Elinor Dashwood in 'Sense and Sensibility'Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features

In the book, the 1995 film, and the 2008 miniseries, Elinor learns directly from Edward that he is not married to Lucy. But in the new film, Mrs. Jennings (Fiona Shaw) tells Elinor the news after Edward has already left the Dashwoods' cottage. Elinor runs after him, and the pair confess their love and kiss.

The film ends soon after the romantic moment. We don't see the couple get married. In fact, we don't see any weddings on screen. In the book, Austen only briefly mentions that they got married in a church.

Esmé Creed-Miles as Marianne Dashwood in 'Sense and Sensibility'Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features

While Marianne and Brandon have an intimate conversation near the end of the film that implies they'll end up together, we don't see a scene of their official engagement or marriage. Meanwhile, the 1995 film ends with Marianne and Brandon's joyous wedding, and the BBC miniseries ends with Brandon carrying Marianne into their shared home.

The novel's ending mentions Marianne and Brandon's marriage and how Willoughby "could not hear of her marriage without a pang." Unlike the 1995 film, the new adaptation doesn't show Willoughby's reaction to the nuptials.

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Sense and Sensibility opens in U.S. theaters Oct. 16.

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