Netflix is taking us back to 1870s New York City with The Age of Innocence, a new eight-part period drama exploring forbidden love, scandal and the expectations of high society. The streaming service has officially confirmed that the series will premiere on Thursday 18 February 2027, alongside releasing a collection of first-look photographs featuring stars Camila Morrone, Kristine Froseth and Ben Radcliffe.
Based on Edith Wharton’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1920 novel, the new adaptation comes from writer and showrunner Emma Frost, whose previous credits include The White Queen and The White Princess. The first images give us a look at the lavish world of 19th-century New York, with elaborate gowns, grand ballrooms and plenty of meaningful glances between the characters. And judging by those photographs, there’s going to be quite a bit of romantic drama.
What Is Netflix’s The Age of Innocence About?
The series follows Newland Archer (Ben Radcliffe), a wealthy young gentleman who is engaged to May Welland (Kristine Froseth), a kind and respectable woman from one of New York’s prominent families. Their future together appears secure until May’s cousin, Countess Ellen Olenska (Camila Morrone), returns to the city following the breakdown of her marriage.
Ellen’s arrival causes quite a stir among New York’s wealthy social circles, especially as she’s considering divorcing her husband, something that would have been very controversial at the time. Newland, who knew Ellen during childhood, soon finds himself falling in love with her, leaving him torn between his feelings and the life he’s expected to lead with May.
The series will explore the complicated relationships between the three characters, with questions of love, loyalty and social expectations running throughout the story. Frost explained that the romance is about the difficult choices people face when their feelings conflict with what society expects of them. “The story is about the choice between following your heart or staying with duty and convention,” she said.
Although the adaptation will follow Wharton’s novel, Frost has also spoken about wanting to explore the characters and their relationships in greater detail, giving viewers a chance to understand their different perspectives.
Who Stars in The Age of Innocence?
The new series brings together Camila Morrone, best known for Daisy Jones & The Six, as Ellen Olenska, alongside Kristine Froseth (The Buccaneers) as May Welland and Ben Radcliffe (Masters of the Air) as Newland Archer.
They’ll be joined by Margo Martindale (The Americans) as Mrs Manson Mingott, the formidable grandmother of May and Ellen. Fiona Glascott plays May’s mother, Augusta Welland, while Belinda Bromilow takes on the role of Newland’s mother, Adeline Archer. The supporting cast also includes Emma Shipp as Janey Archer, Hayley Mills as Louisa van der Luyden, Michael Cochrane as Henry van der Luyden, Anna Madeley as Aunt Medora and John Light as Mr Lovell Mingott.
Frost has written all eight episodes, with Shannon Murphy (Dying for Sex), Lisa Brühlmann (Killing Eve) and Natalia Leite (The Handmaid’s Tale) sharing directing duties.
This isn’t the first time Wharton’s novel has been adapted for the screen. Martin Scorsese directed the acclaimed 1993 film starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer and Winona Ryder, which received five Academy Award nominations and won Best Costume Design.
At CultureCues, we LOVE a good period drama, especially when there’s plenty of romance and angst involved, so The Age of Innocence is going straight on our watchlist. The first-look photographs are gorgeous, and those costumes are stunning. We’re already preparing ourselves for all the romance, heartbreak and, hopefully, a good bit of swooning along the way. If Bridgerton has taught us anything, it’s that we can get very invested in a few longing glances across a ballroom. February can’t come soon enough!
The Age of Innocence premieres Thursday 18 February 2027 on Netflix.
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Nikki Murray is a UK-based writer, screenwriter and founder & editor of CultureCues, covering film, television, music and pop culture. Her work focuses on storytelling and the moments shaping modern entertainment.