'The Crown' Season 5 on Netflix: Release date, plot, cast and all you need to know about the royal drama's return
When each season of Netflix's 'The Crown' comes out, viewers are reminded just exactly why the series is adored so much. The latest season to arrive on the platform saw the debut of Emma Corrin as the late Princess Diana in one of the most heartbreaking depictions of her. Unfortunately, the season was only 10 episodes long and most of us are already through them and wondering when the next season might come out.
There are two seasons left in 'The Crown' and with those final seasons comes the last cast change for the show. There will be a lot more differences in the new seasons besides the cast. Read on to know more about Season 5, its new cast members and what could be covered in it.
Release date
According to Netflix, 'The Crown' will be taking a hiatus from production in early 2021 and will be resuming only later that year — this is especially likely given the Covid-19 pandemic. The fifth season of 'The Crown' is not expected to be released at least until summer 2022, with the sixth season expected sometime in late 2023. Keep watching this space for future updates.
Plot
The fourth season ended with the ouster of Margaret Thatcher as the Prime Minister and with Prince Charles' and Princess Diana's marriage crumbling due to Charles' extramarital affairs and Diana's refusal to stick to the royal family's rules. The season covered the events between the years of 1977 and 1990 and it is expected that the fifth season will pick up from 1990 onwards.
However, while the previous seasons of 'The Crown' covered roughly a decade each, it is expected that both Seasons 5 and 6 will be set in the 90s. According to Deadline, director Peter Morgan has confirmed that rather than progress into yet another time period for Season 6, the two final seasons of 'The Crown' will simply give the events of the 1990s adequate airtime to wrap up all story arcs across both.
There are several significant events that will be a part of the final two seasons, including the continuation of Prince Charles’ extramarital affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles, his divorce from the late Princess Diana in 1996, her death in a car accident in 1997, the Queen's golden wedding anniversary in 1997, and then the passing of both Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother in 2002.
Also expected to be covered are the divorces of Princess Anne and husband Captain Mark Phillips, Prince Andrew and Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson, a fire at the Windsor Castle and numerous royal scandals dubbed by the tabloids as the Camillagate and Squidgygate.
Cast
With the fifth season, the cast for 'The Crown' is set to change for the third and final time. Here's a list of the actors and actresses and the roles they will take on for the next two seasons. The list will be updated with future cast announcements.
Imelda Staunton
Imelda Staunton is an English actress and singer best known for her roles in 'My Family and Other Animals', 'The Girl', and 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'. She has won four Olivier Awards; three for Best Actress in a Musical for her roles in the plays 'Into the Woods', 'Sweeney Todd', and 'Gypsy', and one for Best Supporting Performance for her work in both 'A Chorus of Disapproval' and 'The Corn is Green'.
Staunton will be taking over the role of Queen Elizabeth II from Olivia Coleman (and Claire Foy before her) for the final two seasons.
Lesley Manville
Lesley Manville is an English actress known for work in 'Phantom Thread', 'Ordinary Love', 'Another Year', and 'Harlots'. She will be taking over the role of Princess Margaret from Helena Bonham Carter (and Vanessa Kirby before her).
Elizabeth Debicki
Elizabeth Debicki is an Australian actress known for her roles in 'The Great Gatsby', 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.', and 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2'. She takes over the role of Princess Diana from Emma Corrin for the fifth season.
Jonathan Pryce
Jonathan Pryce is a Welsh actor known for his roles in 'Evita', 'Tomorrow Never Dies', 'Pirates of the Caribbean', 'The Two Popes', and 'Game of Thrones'. He will take over the role of Prince Phillip from Tobias Menzies (and Matt Smith before him) for the fifth and sixth seasons.
Dominic West
Dominic West is an English actor, director, and musician, known for his roles in 'The Affair', 'The Wire', and 'Tomb Raider'. Although unconfirmed, Variety reports that West will take over the role of Prince Charles from Josh O'Connor for the remaining seasons.
Director/Writer
Peter Morgan
Peter Morgan is the writer and creator of the Netflix series. He is also credited for the 2006 film 'The Queen' and the 2013 stage play 'The Audience'. Several other directors of the television series who were also involved in the stage production are Stephen Daldry, Philip Martin, Julian Jarrold and Benjamin Caron.
Andrew Eaton is the producer of the series along with executive producers Andy Harries, Suzanne Mackie, Matthew Byam-Shaw, Robert Fox, Tanya Seghatchian, Nina Wolarsky and Allie Goss.
Trailer
There is no trailer for the fifth season of 'The Crown' yet but keep watching this space for future updates.
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