Frank Dillane isn’t slowing down anytime soon. After his breakout turn in Urchin—Harris Dickinson’s Cannes knockout, where Dillane walked away with the Best Actor prize in the Un Certain Regard section—he’s heading straight into period drama territory with Focus Features and Working Title Films’ bold new adaptation of Sense and Sensibility.

I recently wrote about Dillane’s quietly volcanic presence in Urchin, a role that felt like it cracked something open for him as a performer. That same intensity is about to collide with corsets and decorum, as he takes on the role of John Willoughby, the dangerously charming love interest who captures the heart of Marianne Dashwood.

He’ll star opposite Esmé Creed-Miles as Marianne and Daisy Edgar-Jones as Elinor, two sisters navigating heartbreak, societal expectation, and the limits of their agency in Austen’s ever-relevant world.

And Dillane’s casting as Willoughby is inspired. It’s the kind of role that lets him lean into his natural magnetism and emotional unpredictability. If Urchin showed us his depth, Sense and Sensibility could be the moment that cements him as one of the most compelling actors of his generation.

For anyone who’s not dusted off the original since school (or avoided it altogether), Sense and Sensibility follows the Dashwood sisters after their father’s death leaves them financially vulnerable and socially displaced. Elinor is cautious and restrained; Marianne is impulsive and idealistic. As they encounter love, betrayal, and the limitations placed on women in Regency England, they are forced to reconcile head and heart on their own terms.

George MacKay, best known for anchoring Sam Mendes’ WWI epic 1917, will play Edward Ferrars, Elinor’s loyal and morally upright suitor. His resume also includes standout performances in the devastating Captain Fantastic and Pride.

Caitríona Balfe, a five-time Golden Globe nominee for her work on Outlander and a BAFTA nominee for Belfast, plays Mrs. Dashwood, the girls’ dignified and resilient mother.

Herbert Nordrum, who earned international recognition for his role in Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in the World, will take on the role of Colonel Brandon, the reserved suitor whose subtle love for Marianne is a sharp contrast to Willoughby’s flashy charm.

Bodhi Rae Breathnach (Hamnet and The Capture) steps in as Margaret Dashwood, the youngest sister. She currently stars in the children’s series So Awkward Academy and will also appear in Chloé Zhao’s upcoming feature.

And Fiona Shaw, a BAFTA winner and three-time Emmy nominee, plays the gossipy and well-meaning Mrs. Jennings. Shaw is best known for her roles in Killing Eve, Fleabag, Harry Potter (as Aunt Petunia), and Andor.

Production is already underway in the U.K., with BAFTA nominee Georgia Oakley (Blue Jean) directing and novelist Diana Reid (Love & Virtue) adapting the screenplay.