All the Light We Cannot See is such a rich and engaging read. It’s one of those books that you cherish, and you hope that whoever adapts it does it justice. Well, soon we will find out if the TV series is as captivating as the book. Netflix, don’t let us down.
This is one of the most anticipated shows on the 2023 TV schedule. It has a brilliant cast, great source material, and some of the biggest names in the television and film world creating the show. It has to be good.
Before, we start preparing ourselves for the worst or best with the All the Light We Cannot See TV series, let’s discuss some of the things we know about it so far.
What Is The All The Light We Cannot See Premiere Date?
The All the Light We Cannot See TV show premieres on November 2 on Netflix, and it’s been planned as a four-part limited series since its inception. In an interview with Vanity Fair, series producer and director Shawn Levy mentioned that he didn’t think 2-hours would be enough time to bring the story from the book to the screen. This is why he wanted to turn it into a limited series instead of a movie.
Therefore, we can likely assume that the four-part limited series will probably have episodes with a runtime of around 60 minutes. Sometimes, Netflix chooses the weekly format with its shows or splits them into parts, but there has been no mention of doing that with this series, so all four episodes will likely be released at once on November 2.
The Book Tells A Story About Two Young People Trying To Survive During World War II
The novel is a powerful one that follows three main characters, two of whom are young people trying to survive during World War II. Our two main characters are Marie-Laure LeBlanc and Werner Pfennig.
Marie-Laure is a young blind French girl and Werner is a German boy who becomes a soldier during WWII. The two stories are told mainly from their perspectives, and though they are on different paths, it’s clear that one day their lives will connect and collide. All the Light We Cannot See is one of the most anticipated, upcoming book-to-screen adaptations because it's such a popular and beloved book.
According to Variety, the tale sold nearly 15 million copies worldwide. It also spent over 200 weeks on the New York Times bestsellers list. In 2015, it received a Pulitzer Prize and the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction.
Shawn Levy will have a lot of eyes on him on November 2. Hopefully, he delivers a series that’s just as good as the book.
The Teaser Sets Up A Mysterious And Beautiful Epic
In April 2023, Netflix released the first teaser for the All the Light We Cannot See TV series. Instead of being one of those trailers that reveal too much, the clip takes a mysterious route and only shows flashes of images. There is no dialogue and everything is shown out of context. For those who know the book, some scenes will stand out, but for everyone who hasn’t read it yet, you may not know what to expect from just the teaser:
It keeps the story a mystery by just using beautiful imagery to entice the viewers to watch.
All The Light We Cannot See Stars A Newcomer And A Dark Star
Aria Mia Loberti is starring as Marie-Laure LeBlanc, and she won the role after a worldwide search. All the Light We Cannot See will be her screen debut.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, she is a Fulbright Scholar and a doctoral student in rhetoric at Penn State University. The younger version of Marie-Laure will also be played by a newcomer, as Nell Sutton will portray the child version of the character and this is also her acting debut.
Shawn Levy had this to say about casting Loberti:
We searched the world and reviewed thousands of auditions. We never thought our path would lead to someone who has not only never acted professionally, but never auditioned before. It was a jaw-drop moment when we first saw Aria Mia Loberti, who is both a natural performer and an advocate for disability equity and representation. I can’t wait to tell this beautiful story with her at the center.
Louis Hofmann plays Werner Pfennig in All the Light We Cannot See, and he is best known for his role as Jonas in the Netflix series Dark. It’s one of those shows where you won't be able to get over the series finale, and is also one of Netflix’s best sci-fi shows. He also appeared in the German series You Are Wanted and the movies The White Crow, Red Sparrow, Prélude, and The Forger.
The Main Cast Also Includes Hugh Laurie And Mark Ruffalo
Hugh Laurie and Mark Ruffalo also star in the limited series. Ruffalo plays Daniel LeBlanc, Marie-Laure's father who's a locksmith at the Museum of Natural History in Paris. Hugh Laurie plays Etienne LeBlanc, who's part of Marie-Laure and Daniel’s family. He's eccentric and suffering PTSD from World War I.
Ruffalo is best known for portraying one of the strongest Marvel heroes, Bruce Banner, a.k.a. Hulk, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He has also appeared in movies like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, 13 Going on 30, Zodiac, Shutter Island, and The Adam Project. He won an Emmy in 2020 for his role in I Know This Much Is True, and has also worked on the TV shows The Beat, What If..?, and She-Hulk.
Laurie is best known for playing Dr. Gregory House on House. He has also appeared in the TV shows The Night Manager, Veep, Catch-22, Blackadder, and Spooks. The actor appeared in the movies such as Holmes & Watson, The Personal History of David Copperfield, Sense and Sensibility, and Spice World.
The All the Light We Cannot See cast also includes Lars Eidinger and Marion Bailey.
Shawn Levy Called it His First Project Made On A “Grand Cinematic Scale”
Shawn Levy directed all four episodes along with producing the entire series. He has done some major projects as a producer and director, including Stranger Things, Shadow and Bone, I Am Not Okay With This, the Night at the Museum franchise, Date Night, Free Guy, The Adam Project, and the upcoming Deadpool 3.
Despite being part of so many high-profile projects, Levy considers All the Light We Cannot See one of his most ambitious endeavors. According to his interview with Vanity Fair, it was a project he wanted to do for a while, and jumped at the chance when it was stalled for a few years. He offered this commentary on taking on such an ambitious project:
I’ve made a lot of movies, but I’ve never made something on this grand cinematic scale and historic setting [that is also] a straight-up character-rooted drama. I’ve always wanted to, and I always felt that I had something to say in that genre and tone. Frankly, it was worth the multiyear wait to do it.
All the Light We Cannot See streams on Netflix on November 2. You can buy the book on Amazon or wherever books are sold.
