‘Little Women’ first look: ‘Call the Midwife’ writer’s new BBC adaptation of classic novel

The BBC has released the first promotional photo of the cast of its upcoming TV adaptation of Little Women.

From Downton Abbey executive producer Rebecca Eaton and the makers of Wolf Hall, the new mini-series began filming in Ireland in July.

Call the Midwife creator Heidi Thomas will bring American author Louisa May Alcott’s classic 1868 novel to life in three one-hour episodes.

The image shows Maya Hawke, Willa Fitzgerald, Annes Elwy and Kathryn Newton as the iconic March sisters.

The cast also includes Emily Watson (The Theory of Everything) as Marmee, Dame Angela Lansbury (Murder She Wrote) as Aunt March, Michael Gambon (Harry Potter) as their neighbour Mr. Laurence and Jonah Hauer-King as Laurie Laurence.

Little Women is set against the backdrop of the American Civil War and follows four sisters on their journey from childhood to adulthood.

With the help of their mother Marmee, while their father is away at war, the girls navigate what it means to be a young woman: from gender roles to sibling rivalry, first love, loss and marriage.

A co-production with Masterpiece on PBS, Little Women will air in the US on PBS and in the UK on BBC One in 2018.