Could we have a Scottish Mr Darcy? Jack Lowden in talks to star in Netflix's Pride and Prejudice adaptation

Variety reports that Lowden is “currently in talks” to play the iconic Jane Austen character whose tumultuous relationship with Elizabeth Bennet is the beating heart of the 1813 novel.

If the rumours prove true the Slow Horses actor would join the likes of Colin Firth - who played Mr Darcy in the 1995 BBC miniseries - and Matthew Macfadyen, who starred opposite Keira Knightley in Joe Wright’s 2005 film.

While he is best known for his role in the Apple TV+ spy series, Lowden has also appeared in films such as Dunkirk, Fighting With My Family, ‘71, Mary Queen of Scots, and, most recently, Tornado.

While no formal casting announcements have been made, unconfirmed rumours have previously linked English actress Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People, Twisters) to the role of Elizabeth Bennet.

The upcoming adaptation of Austen’s best known work was first announced last year, with author Dolly Alderton set to write the script. Alderton is best known for works including her 2018 memoir Everything I Know About Love, which was adapted for TV by the BBC in 2022, and her 2023 romantic comedy novel Good Material.

This isn’t Netflix’s first time taking on Austen’s works, either. In 2022, the streaming giant released a film adaptation of Persuasion starring Dakota Johnson which was widely panned by critics.

Other Austen adaptations coming out in the near future include The Other Bennet Sister series from the BBC, which is set to follow Elizabeth’s sister Mary Bennet, and a film adaptation of Pride, a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice by Haitian American author Ibi Zoboi.