Hettie MacDonald will direct a miniseries adaptation of “Howards End” for the BBC, Deadline has reported. The series will be a four-parter.
Based on the classic 1910 E. M. Forster novel of the same name, the story “explores the changing landscape of social and class divisions in early 20th century England through the prism of three families: the intellectual and idealistic Schlegels, the wealthy Wilcoxes from the world of business, and the working class Basts.”
The book was previously adapted into a film in 1992. It starred Emma Thompson and Anthony Hopkins. Screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala won an Oscar for her script and Thompson won Best Actress for playing Margaret Schlegel.
MacDonald directed multiple episodes of British TV series “Fortitude” and has also directed for “Doctor Who.” Her first “Doctor Who” episode was “Blink,” considered by many to be the best episode of the rebooted cult series.