With Bridgerton season 4 set to focus on Benedict Bridgerton, the casting of Sophie Beckett, his Cinderella-esque love interest, has fans buzzing. Production is slated to begin in September, carrying on through spring 2025, so we may hear casting announcements soon—unless Bridgerton opts for a twist on Sophie’s character, as they did by reimagining Michaela Stirling’s storyline. Given Bridgerton’s embrace of change from the novels, it’s possible they might take liberties with Benedict’s love interest and storyline.
The original book, An Offer From a Gentleman, introduces Sophie as the illegitimate daughter of an earl who is mistreated by her father’s wife, Araminta, giving a dark edge to this “Cinderella” story. Sophie’s illegitimacy would scandalize the upper class, a complication that Benedict would have to confront to pursue his love. However, with Bridgerton portraying a progressive society in some ways, the writers could choose to recast Sophie’s struggle as a same-sex relationship for Benedict, mirroring how other characters like Francesca are expected to navigate societal judgment for queer relationships.
If the series does stick to Benedict and Sophie’s story, we can expect a mix of mistaken identity, masquerade ball intrigue, and insights into class issues, along with echoes of Cinderella. The show may or may not address hints in the novel of Sophie enduring more than emotional mistreatment from Araminta. They might lean into Sophie’s life of servitude in a lighthearted “Ever After” style instead.
It’s also likely that season 4 will finally introduce a time jump—a notable feature of the book series. In An Offer From a Gentleman, Benedict meets Sophie at a ball and then loses track of her for years. With Bridgerton’s timeline advancing year by year since 1813, season 4 may start in 1816, with the potential for a jump. This leap would not only accommodate Benedict and Sophie’s story arc but also age up younger Bridgertons like Gregory and Hyacinth for future seasons.
An Offer From a Gentleman strikes a unique balance between romance and relatable challenges, which the show could capture with a direct adaptation. Fans of season 1’s mix of sweeping romance and drama are hopeful that season 4 will bring back that same magic, but the wait until 2025 leaves us wondering if the series can keep up its charm until then.
