Pride and Prejudice and Zombies takes a bite out of Austen

Actor Sam Riley, best known forhis role in the 2007 Ian Curtis biopgraphical Control, will reportedly romance Downton Abbey star Lily James in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

Actor Sam Riley, best known forhis role in the 2007 Ian Curtis biopgraphical Control, will reportedly romance Downton Abbey star Lily James in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

Riley, 34, will portray Mr Darcy opposite James as Elizabeth Bennett in the film, based on Seth Grahame-Smith's parody novel of the same name, which combines Jane Austen's classic 19th century work Pride and Prejudice with zombie fiction, reported Deadline.

Jack Huston is also reportedly in talks to join the project. Burr Steers will direct the film, whose shooting is scheduled to begin next month.

The story imagines Elizabeth and the four Bennet sisters as zombie slayers trained in kung fu during a trip to China. This version’s Mr Darcy, ­meanwhile, boasts socially superior ninja skills picked up in Japan.

Elizabeth and Darcy must overcome their differences to see off a zombie invasion of the villages of Longbourn and Meryton.

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