Netflix Will Wrap Up 'The Crown' and Its Royal Dramas After the Show's Fifth Season
Imelda Staunton will step into the Queen's shoes in the show's final season, too.
2020 might just be a mere one month old; however it has already been an eventful year for the British royal family. But if you've been scanning recent tabloid headlines, seeing the chaos surrounding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's decision to step back from being senior royals, and thinking "that'll make a great season of The Crown one day", Netflix has some news for you.
While The Crown was originally envisaged as a six-season show — which would've presumably followed Queen Elizabeth II's story up until the present day — creator Peter Morgan has now decided to end the series after its fifth season. As reported by Deadline, the screenwriter said it has become obvious "that this is the perfect time and place to stop". Just how much more of Lizzie's life the show will detail hasn't been revealed.
This news doesn't mean that The Crown is ending just yet, though. With the series' third season only hitting Netflix last November, there are still two more seasons to come. The fourth season is in the works at the moment, and will take place during Margaret Thatcher's time as Britain's prime minister — and undoubtedly feature Princess Diana quite heavily. The fifth season is then likely to follow the Queen into the 21st century.
One other big change has been announced, too, although it's hardly a surprising one. With the series changing its cast as its story progresses and characters age, Netflix has revealed that Imelda Staunton will play the Queen in The Crown's fifth season. She'll take over from Oscar-winner Olivia Colman, who dons the titular headwear in seasons three and four. Of course, Colman herself took over from season one and two star Claire Foy.
Staunton will only spend one season in the top job, but she'll add it to a hefty resume that includes last year's Downton Abbey movie, the Maleficent and Paddington films, her Oscar-nominated work in Vera Drake and the Harry Potter franchise's Dolores Umbridge — to name just a few titles on her resume.
Just who'll be joining her in The Crown — aka who'll be playing the older versions of Prince Philip, Princess Margaret, Princes Charles and the rest of the family — hasn't yet been revealed.
In case you haven't watched The Crown's third season yet, check out the trailer below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLXYfgpqb8A
Via Deadline. Image: Sophie Mutevelian / Netflix
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