'All the Light We Cannot See' Gets Much-Deserved Netflix Adaptation

In 2014, Anthony Doerr released his epic World War II novel All the Light We Cannot See. The beautiful tale of two young people trapped in a tiny French seaside town during the war's final days was released by Scribner with an initial modest print run of just 60,000 copies. Doerr's novel went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, has sat on the New York Times Bestseller List for over 200 weeks, and has sold over 15 million copies (numbers that will certainly continue to rise). It is easily one of the most widely read and influential books of the 21st century, and enchants readers from all backgrounds.

The beloved novel is now finally being adapted for screen in a four-part Netflix miniseries. Here's everything we know about the All the Light We Cannot See series. 

What is the release date for All the Light We Cannot See?

All the Light We Cannot See the miniseries comes out on Netflix on Nov. 2, 2023, premiering just in time for the holidays.

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Is there a trailer for All the Light We Cannot See?

Yes, there is. The first trailer for the series dropped in April 2023.

Who is the cast of All the Light We Cannot See?

The leads roles of All the Light We Cannot See will be played by new, relatively unknown actors.

Aria Mia Loberti

The role of Marie-Laure LeBlanc, the young blind French girl broadcasting radio messages will be played by Aria Mia Loberti. This is the first role that Loberti had ever auditioned for, winning the spot in a global search of hundreds of actresses despite no formal training and working toward her PhD in rhetoric at the time. The search was conducted by director and showrunner Shawn Levy, who wanted a blind or visually impaired actor for the lead role to portray the character authentically.

Louis Hofmann

The male lead role of Werner Pfennig, the German boy forced into the Nazi regime to repair radios, is played by Louis Hofmann, a German actor known for his work on Dark.

Mark Ruffalo

Hugh Laurie

Lauded actors Mark Ruffalo and Hugh Laurie round out the ensemble as Marie's father and uncle respectively, whom she is trying to reunite with.

Felix Kammerer

Felix Kammerer, the lead of last years Best Picture nominee All Quiet on the Western Front also has a minor role.

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Who is the director of All the Light We Cannot See?

The miniseries is being directed by Shawn Levy, who previously directed films like Big Fat Liar, Night at the Museum and Free Guy. He is also a director and producer on Stranger Things and is set to direct Deadpool 3.

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What is All the Light We Cannot See about?

The novel that the miniseries is based off of follows two young people whose lives intersect in the final days of World War II in a tiny French seaside town called Saint-Malo. Marie, who is blind and fled to the tiny town with her father during the war, is left alone and broadcasts every night on an illegal radio frequency trying to get a message to her father and uncle. Werner, a German radio enthusiast, is forced to join the Nazi regime and is tasked with finding the whereabouts of Marie's radio position.

Where was All the Light We Cannot See filmed?

Parts of the series were filmed on location in Saint-Malo, France, with additional footage filmed in Budapest, Hungary and the south of France.

Is All the Light We Cannot See a TV show or a movie?

All the Light We Cannot See has been adapted into a four-part limited series on Netflix. While it was initially optioned to be a film, this idea was eventually set aside because the book's plot is too robust for just a two-hour runtime.

How many episodes will All the Light We Cannot See be?

The miniseries will be four episodes long.

Where can you stream All the Light We Cannot See?

All the Light We Cannot See will be available to stream exclusively on Netflix.

Is All the Light We Cannot See based on the book?

Yes, the miniseries is a close adaptation of the 2014 novel by Anthony Doerr.

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