All the Light We Cannot See. Aria Mia Loberti as Marie-Laure in episode 101 of All the Light We Cannot See. Cr. Katalin Vermes/Netflix © 2023
Netflix is pairing Stranger Things producer Shawn Levy and Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight for a 4-episode limited drama series. The duo is working on adapting the World War II novel All the Light We Cannot See which comes from author Anthony Doerr. Here’s everything we know about the series that’s coming to Netflix in November 2023.
Knight has assumed the screenwriting duties for the limited series, while Levy will direct all four episodes.
The project has been in development at Levy’s 21 Laps Entertainment for a couple of years now and was first announced in 2019. Levy notably works with Netflix under an extensive overall deal.
Steven Knight, Josh Barry, Shawn Levy, and Dan Levine all serve as executive producers of the project.
Pictured: Shawn Levy and Shawn Knight
Before we dig into the preview, here’s your first look teaser trailer that was released on April 18th, 2023:
An official trailer for the series was released on October 3rd, 2023;
Here’s everything else we know about Netflix’s All the Light We Cannot See:
What’s the plot of All the Light We Cannot See?
Book cover for All The Light We Cannot See
As mentioned above, Netflix’s All the Light We Cannot See is an adaptation of Anthony Doerr’s 2014 Pulitzer-winning and bestselling novel of the same name.
Here is the book synopsis for All the Light We Cannot See as seen on Amazon:
Marie-Laure lives in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where her father works. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.
In a mining town in Germany, Werner Pfennig, an orphan, grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find that brings them news and stories from places they have never seen or imagined. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments and is enlisted to use his talent to track down the resistance. Deftly interweaving the lives of Marie-Laure and Werner, Doerr illuminates the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another.
All the Light We Cannot See. (L to R) Nell Sutton as Young Marie-Laure, Mark Ruffalo as Daniel LeBlanc in episode 101 of All the Light We Cannot See. Cr. Atsushi Nishijima/Netflix © 2023
All the Light We Cannot See. Hugh Laurie as Etienne LeBlanc in episode 103 of All the Light We Cannot See. Cr. Atsushi Nishijima/Netflix © 2023
All the Light We Cannot See. Louis Hofmann as Werner Pfennig in episode 103 of All the Light We Cannot See. Cr. Katalin Vermes/Netflix © 2023
Who is cast in All the Light We Cannot See?
Netflix announced a major search for its leading cast member in September 2021 with the requirements that they have to be blind or low-vision. They would play Marie-Laure. After two months, it was announced that the search was over.
In December 2021, it was announced that Aria Mia Loberti would be the leading lady for the new series. This will be the actress’s debut title.
She celebrated the news by posting on Instagram with the following:
“I am delighted to finally share that I will be playing Marie-Laure Leblanc in Netflix’s adaptation of All The Light We Cannot See. If you’re not familiar with the extraordinary Pulitzer-winning book, All The Light follows Marie as she grows up in Nazi-occupied France. It’s a intricately crafted story of hope, forgiveness, power, and resilience, and it’s very special to me.
Not in a million years did I think anything like this would ever happen to me. The creative team spearheading this project is the stuff dreams are made of. I am massively lucky. More lucky and humbled and grateful than I can express. Thank you for your trust and faith.
I am sensitive to the extent of this responsibility and what this character means for blind and disabled people, blind girls in particular. A blind lead portrayed by a blind actor. This is a significant leap forward for disability inclusion, rights, and representation on screen and beyond. I will never not feel the weight of that, and I will bear it proudly and use it as a catalyst for positive change, equity, and breaking down barriers.
Despite its many highs, my life has never been an easy one, filled with it’s fair share of obstacles, traumas, and battles. The same with Marie. Though the landscape through which Marie moves is different from my own, our spirit is the same. Marie will take root on screen as a fully independent, fully realized, fully empowered character. I look forward to bringing this incredible story to life, and I’m SO excited for you to all meet her.”
Aria will be playing the role of Marie-Laure Leblanc who is described as being thoughtful, curious, and intelligent. She communicates by using her radio to talk to people in the outside world during the Nazi occupation of France in World War 2.
Pictured (left to right): Aria Mia Loberti, Mark Ruffalo, and Hugh Laurie
Then in January 2022, two other headline castings were announced with the inclusion of Mark Ruffalo and Hugh Laurie joining the cast.
Ruffalo (known for playing the Hulk in the MCU) will be playing Daniel Leblanc who is a locksmith at the Museum of Natural History and father of Marie-Laure. He’s determined, despite the occupation, to give her daughter the best education possible.
Laurie (best known for House M.D.) will play Etienne Leblanc, a wounded veteran suffering from PTSD. Serves as uncle to Daniel and great uncle of Marie-Laure.
Netflix is also cast Louis Hofmann a young boy who will play Werner Pfennig. He’s a specialist in detecting radio frequencies which leads him to Marie-Laure. Hofmann is most known for playing Jonas Kahnwald in Netflix’s hit German series, Dark.
Pascal Ulli is set to play Dr. Heinrich in the series. He’s known for playing Reinhard Küng in Netflix’s Undercover series.
Lars Eidinger has been cast as Sergeant Major Reinhold von Rumpel described as a terminally ill Nazi officer who spends his final days ruthlessly hunting down a prized, legendary diamond.
Nell Sutton will play Young Marie-Laure, the younger version of the blind girl, played by Loberti.
What’s the production status of All the Light We Cannot See?
As of October 2021, Netflix’s limited series All the Light We Cannot see is in its writing process. Filming was scheduled to start in Europe in the first quarter of 2022 according to issue 1265 of Production Weekly and we can now confirm that filming on the four-episode limited series is due to begin on March 14th, 2022, and run through to July 22nd, 2022.
The series will be primarily filmed in Berlin but additional reporting suggests that All The Light We Cannot See will also film extensively in Hungary.
How many episodes will be in All the Light We Cannot See?
Netflix’s All the Light We Cannot See is confirmed to consist of only four one-hour episodes.
What’s the Netflix release date for All the Light We Cannot See?
Netflix confirmed in April 2023 that the new limited series is set to debut on November 2nd, 2023.
You can see what else Shawn Levy is currently cooking up for Netflix here but let us know in the comments down below if you’re excited to watch All The Light We Cannot See in the comments below.
