‘The Crown’ Ending With Season 5 — Meet the Final Queen (PHOTO)
Netflix’s historical drama The Crown will conclude with its fifth and final season.
Centering on the royal family and Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, The Crown recently aired its third season with Olivia Colman at the helm as the monarch, while Claire Foy originated the role in Seasons 1 and 2. In the fifth season, Colman — who will continue to portray Elizabeth in Season 4 — will pass the metaphorical baton onto Imelda Staunton, best known for her roles in the Harry Potter movie series, Shakespeare in Love, Downton Abbey: The Movie, and more.
“I have loved watching The Crown from the very start. As an actor it was a joy to see how both Claire Foy and Olivia Colman brought something special and unique to Peter Morgan’s scripts. I am genuinely honoured to be joining such an exceptional creative team and to be taking The Crown to its conclusion,” Staunton said in a statement.
The news comes as a bit of surprise considering The Crown was originally intended to run for six seasons. While it remains unclear which stories will be featured, people holding out hope for a present-day dramatization of the royals shouldn’t hold their breath.
Imelda Staunton will play Queen Elizabeth II in the fifth and final season of The Crown. pic.twitter.com/hUOob58A9p
— The Crown (@TheCrownNetflix) January 31, 2020
“At the outset I had imagined The Crown running for six seasons but now that we have begun work on the stories for Season 5 it had become clear to me that this is the perfect time and place to stop,” creator Peter Morgan told The Hollywood Reporter. “I’m grateful to Netflix and Sony for supporting me in this decision,” he added.
Claire Foy, Olivia Colman and Imelda Staunton (Credit: Netflix; Netflix; Yui Mok – WPA Pool / Getty Images)
With Season 4 on the horizon, it will be some time before fans have to say goodbye to the streaming series, but until then, stay tuned for any new details about casting as they’re announced.
The Crown, Streaming now, Netflix
