Netflix has already peered inside the behind-the-scenes of American politics, now the streaming service is reportedly looking to tell the stories of the British monarchy. It is reportedly in talks with Sony Pictures Television to create a miniseries called The Crown that will span the life of Queen Elizabeth II.
The project was first reported by The Daily Mail last week. Sources for Variety also confirmed the news. However, Netflix and Sony have not commented on the project.
The Crown will be 20 hours long and will require three actresses to play the Queen during her 60 years on the throne. Stephen Daldry (The Reader, Billy Elliot) has been tapped as showrunner. Peter Morgan, who wrote The Audience (which Daldry directed on the stage), will write. Morgan also penned The Queen, which won Helen Mirren an Oscar for playing Queen Elizabeth.
British broadcasters ITV and BBC were interested, but Netflix swooped in. The Daily Mail suggests that the project could cost as much as £100 million to produce.
While Netflix and Sony haven’t commented on The Crown, the two studios are working together for a very different project. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix struck a deal with Sony Animation to be the exclusive post-theatrical TV home of Sony’s animated projects. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 is already on Netflix and the original will probably be up soon.
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