All Jane Austen 'Emma' Movies & Shows In Order

The earliest adaptation of Emma we got was a BBC mini-series that effectively conveyed the book's plot through episodes that are gripping and nuanced. The quality of the film is lovely, and most of it is certainly worth watching once, but part of what doesn't work is the casting. And this isn't to say that the cast isn't great, but Emma is such a specific character that not everyone can embody her layers as masterfully.

This is ultimately an issue with most of the adaptations—save for two of them—because you simply cannot condense the nuances of such a character into a short runtime without doing all the extra legwork to ensure that her emotions are explicitly clear. Still, the 1972 version is worth watching to get a taste of how period pieces were produced back then compared to the production today. There's also another Pride and Prejudice (1980) adaptation that was released close to this Emma. And if Austen fans want to get their full fix, there's a ton available.

Long before I'd even read Emma, I'd watched and obsessed over Clueless. Considering how pivotal the movie was for many of us as teenagers, it isn't surprising that its inspiration is drawn from such a magnetic piece of text. It also isn't surprising that those who loved it also love Emma. And for the most part, of all the Jane Austen modernized adaptations, Clueless is still the best one. 

Alicia Silverstone's Cher is just as compelling as Emma Woodhouse, and through her matchmaking antics and hunger for popularity, the layers in Emma's grief and anxiety come through surprisingly well. 

Plus, Paul Rudd as this version of a modernized Mr. Knightley could not have been more perfect in casting. How he brings to life Knightley's perpetual exasperation coupled with Josh's fascination is no small feat, and the late Brittany Murphy brings to life so much of what makes Harriet Smith endearing. It's also worth noting that it's one of the few '90s movies that mostly still holds up today, and that's not something we can say about all of them.

In every way where it matters, Kate Beckinsale is perfectly cast as Emma Woodhouse in the BBC version of Emma, but this movie, alongside the other 1996 release prove that this is one of the few books you cannot condense into a movie. 

And while it works in Clueless because of the modern setting that's sprinkled with comedy, as a period piece, it unfortunately feels like it's missing crucial details that could allow audiences to really get to know the titular character. However, it's still a lovely movie to watch for the perfect period drama escape that leads us through stunning shots around England and some fun moments scattered throughout that'll bring laughs.

It's fascinating that both movies were released literally in the same year, and it would've been interesting to see how discourse could've been at that time if social media were around. Still, Emma suffers from the same problem as its made-for-TV version, and it's solely because it's impossible to adapt such a large book into a movie.

But there's still plenty to appreciate here, like how Gwyneth Paltrow's accent legitimately works, and as does the rest of the casting. It's a mostly fun movie if you want a quick, contained story to the trick, but it doesn't exactly hold a candle to the adaptations that come afterward.

There's absolutely no adaptation of any book as perfect as BBC Emma. If you want a story that carefully and brilliantly honors Austen's text, there's nothing as worthy. Romola Garai's performance not only captures Emma's heart, layers, and quirks perfectly, but the screenplay delivers as much of the novel's essence to make us fully understand and empathize with the characters.

That's the thing about Emma: it's a novel that asks its readers to empathize with the characters and everything they're going through, making it a learning experience on and off the page. As a result, the four episodes of the mini-series bring forth all the necessary beats to ensure that the audience is fully absorbed into the lives of the characters and their relationships.

The scenic shots glow, every single actor is exceptionally cast, the screenplay and directing are everything, and it's the kind of adaptation you hope your favorite book will get. If you only watch one adaptation on this list, it needs to be the 2009 limited series.

In the same way that we get a fun and vibrant Bollywood-set adaptation of Pride and Prejudice through Bride and Prejudice (2004), there's a Hindi-language version of Emma, titled Aisha. The modern-day setting will naturally make it more similar to Clueless, but the heart of the story still centers around a complex woman and her endeavors in getting those around her paired up.

It's always incredible to get adaptations from various different countries to essentially showcase just how far a text can spread. The influential appeal of Jane Austen and how universal her themes can be is no small feat. Aisha is undoubtedly worth the viewing experience for fans of Emma.

Now, while earlier movies unfortunately don't leave us with enough space to capture the best parts of the book, Autumn de Wilde's Emma does something so riveting in how it manages to be its own thing, even as an adaptation. It's bright and daring in a way that period pieces generally aren't, giving it a whole new spin on how the production design can create something refreshing and familiar simultaneously. 

Part of the reason Emma works so well is that while it's indeed a period film, the subtly modernized elements make it deliberately feel like something new. Because of this, it doesn't seem like it's trying to be a direct copy, and in turn, it shines as a result. Anya Taylor-Joy is also incredible throughout. If you want a period piece that feels a little whimsical, this one's sure to do the trick.