Jane Austen is the gift that keeps on giving, spawning film adaptations that range from faithful period pieces (“Sense and Sensibility”) to creative reinventions (“Clueless”). “Fire Island,” the rom-com from director Andrew Ahn and writer-star Joel Kim Booster, will become the latest adaptation to throw its hat in the ring when it premieres on June 3.
Also starring “SNL”s Bowen Yang, Margaret Cho and a host of other comedians, “Fire Island” is a queer multicultural update of Austen’s seminal work, “Pride and Prejudice” — instead of 19th century England, think modern-day vacation town located off the coast of Long Island. The film takes place at a friend group’s annual retreat to Fire Island, a summertime mecca for gay and queer vacationers. In classic Austen fashion, clashes of race, class and personality cause sparks to fly when the protagonists cross paths with a white, wealthy clique.
Whether you love a good Regency-era romance or are looking for something new to watch during Pride Month, here’s everything you need to know ahead of “Fire Island”s release.
What is “Fire Island” about?
Best friends Noah (Joel Kim Booster) and Howie (Bowen Yang) are off to their annual summer retreat at matriarch Erin’s (Margaret Cho) house on Fire Island, along with the rest of their chosen family: Luke (Matt Rogers), Keegan (Tomás Matos) and Max (Torian Miller). Howie strikes up a romance with a doctor named Charlie (James Scully), bringing his rich, preppy friends into their lives. Jaded Noah and grouchy lawyer Will (Conrad Ricamora) threaten to ruin things for their respective friends when they meddle with their newfound relationship, and an Elizabeth Bennet-Mr. Darcy dynamic begins to form between them.
When does “Fire Island” premiere?
“Fire Island” will release on Friday, June 3.
Will “Fire Island” be in theaters or streaming?
“Fire Island” is skipping theaters and heading straight to streaming. The film will stream exclusively on Hulu.
Who is in the cast of “Fire Island’?
- Joel Kim Booster (“The Other Two”) as Noah
- Bowen Yang (“Saturday Night Live”) as Howie
- Margaret Cho (“Margaret Cho: PsyCHO”) as Erin
- Matt Rogers (“I Love That For You”) as Luke
- Tomás Matos (“Dickinson”) as Keegan
- Torian Miller (“Chicago Med”) as Max
- James Scully (“You”) as Charlie
- Conrad Ricamora (“How To Get Away With Murder “) as Will
Does “Fire Island” have a trailer?
Yes, and you can watch it here.
Where are other adaptations “Pride and Prejudice” streaming?
“Pride and Prejudice” has been adapted for the screen over a dozen times, but here’s where you can watch some of the best versions:
- “Pride and Prejudice” (2005) – The Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen classic is streaming on Amazon Prime.
- “Pride and Prejudice” (1995) – BBC’s miniseries – starring what some consider peak Mr. Darcy – can be seen on HBO Max and Hulu.
- “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” (2016) – This zany adaptation starring Lily James is streaming on Amazon Prime.
- “Bridget Jones’ Diary” (2001) – The first chapter of the “Bridget Jones” trilogy is streaming on HBO Max. Fun fact: the film marks Colin Firth’s second time playing Mr. Darcy.
