Netflix's Anne: Trailer, Release Date, Cast

Here's everything you need to know aboutAnne, the eight-episode Netflix/CBC TV adaptation of the much-beloved Lucy Maud Montgomery novel Anne of Green Gables...

Anne Trailer

We've got an official trailer for Anne, and it's full of so many of the classic moments from the books/the beloved miniseries! Is it too similar? Hard to say. But, if you're a fan of the story, you probably have May 12th marked off on your calendar. (I know I do.)

Check it out...

And here's the Anne date announcement in which we got our first look at footage from the new series. In the ginger-themed teaser, we get a glimpse at Anne, Diana, and Gilbert. What do you think?

And here's a trailer of the 1985 adaptation, for nostalgia's sake...

Anne Release Date

Netflix will release Anne on May 12th, 2017.

Anne Cast

Anne has found its Anne-with-an-"e." After a casting search involving 1,889 girls from around the world, Anne has cast 14-year-old Irish-Canadian actress Amybeth McNulty in the title role.

Anne creator Moira Walley-Beckett said of the casting:

Amybeth is a wonderful and sensitive actress who embodies all of Anne’s qualities. She’s soulful and inquisitive, mercurial and passionate. Her ability to convey pain and joy is breathtaking. Amybeth is Anne for a new generation.

Of filming in Prince Edward Island, McNulty, who lives in Ireland, told the CBC:

First of all, anywhere you turn is a postcard, instantly," McNulty said of the experience of filming in P.E.I. "It's so gorgeous and the people are amazing, they're so lovely and welcoming. It was so amazing to shoot there, to think that's where Anne of Green Gables is, and is so loved.

In addition to awesomely having the same last name as a The Wire character, McNulty already has some acting cred. She started acting at the tender age of six and has appeared in the film Morgan, the TV showsAgatha Raisin andThe Sparticle Mystery, as well as on stage in London Regent Park'sThe Sound of Music.

Here's a sneak peek of what McNulty will look like as Anne in Anne...

Anne has also cast Geraldine James (Sherlock Holmes, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) and R.H. Thomson (The Englishman's Boy, Road to Avonlea) as Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert, respectively. They can also be seen in the clip above.

Anne Writer & Director

The eight-episode adaptation has impressive behind-the-scenes pedigree. Moira Walley-Beckett, a producer and writer on Breaking Bad, will write all eight episodes of the adaptation. Walley-Beckett won an Emmy for her season 5 script "Ozymandias," which is often hailed as one of the best episodes of television ever. Walley-Beckett also created the ballet drama Flesh and Bone for Starz.

Speaking to the CBC about what makes this adaptation of Anne of Green Gables different from the many others, Walley-Becket said:

We're off-book. We're the essence of the book, we have the heart and soul of the book, we have our iconic moments that everyone can't wait for, and we're telling a new story. I think that is one reason why it's entirely its own ... This is a very grounded, real version of the story. Life in Prince Edward Island in the late 1800s was a hard, gritty, scrappy life. It was messy, it was covered in red mud ... The weather, the seasons, it's all part of our story. It's not doilies and teacups, it's life.

The two-hour pilot will be directed by Whale Rider's Niki Caro, which also implies a certain modern visual flair that — though I adore the 1980s CBC adaptations — will mark a first for Anne of Green Gables adaptations. This is, really, the first TV adaptation attempted since the evolution of filming technology has made much more possible when it comes to television shows, which tend to have a tighter budget and filming schedule compared to feature films.

Anne — Where to Watch

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix will handle all distribution of Anne outside of Canada, which will surely mean a lot of hits in America where the 1985 TV adaptation of Lucy Maud Montgomery's beloved book series is a cult classic. Not to mention all of the fans the books about the red-haired orphan who finds a home on Prince Edward Island in the 1890s have in Japan. (And, apparently, there was also a 1972 British TV adaptation of the novels, too?)

Netflix Vice President of Content Elizabeth Bradley said of the project...

Anne Shirley is one of Canada’s greatest gifts to the world, known and loved internationally, so we’re thrilled to be working with the CBC and Northwood [Entertainment] to bring this charismatic character to both new and old fans around the world.

Um, agreed. Anne will stream globally on Netflix and air on CBC in Canada in 2017.

Anne Filming

Filming on Anne is already underway in Ontario, with previous filming on Prince Edward Island. The young cast has taken over the show's official Instagram account during the filming, and the results have been pretty amazing...