Yorgos Lanthimos, Rachel Weisz, Emma Stone, Olivia Colman. Enough said, right? But wait, theres more!
Lanthimoss new period film, The Favourite, looks to be rich with royal excess—and, yes, a hint of madness, particularly from Olivia Colmans Queen Anne. The setting? Eighteenth-century England, in the midst of war with France. “Nevertheless,” as the films teaser description notes, “duck racing and pineapple eating are thriving.”
The teaser finds Weisz, who plays the frail monarchs close friend Lady Sarah, holding both the government and the household together as the queen herself sinks further and further into madness. (On the bright side, Colman seems to be having a great time.) Sarah befriends Abigail (Stone), a new servant who sees their budding friendship as “a chance at a return to her aristocratic roots,” per the films official description. Abigail takes over caring for the queen as Sarah becomes increasingly embroiled in politics and the war. Most of the plotty stuff, however, seems somewhat incidental; the real draw here is all three actresses having a ball as they fire pistols, stuff their faces with cake, and prepare to race lobsters before eating them. As Weisz says at the end of the clip, “Sometimes a lady likes to have some fun.”
This film will be something of a reunion as well: both Weisz and Colman starred in 2015s The Lobster, which Lanthimos directed. Also on board are producers Ceci Dempsey and Lee Magiday, who produced The Lobster alongside Lanthimos, and Ed Guiney, who worked with Lanthimos on both The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer. Stone will be new to the party—but from the looks of it, she fits in with the crew just fine. For those who enjoy series like The Crown, The Favourite could be a zanier complement to your media diet—and for those who found The Crown too serious, this film could find just the right mix of period drama and lighthearted eccentricity.
The Favourite premieres November 23, 2018.
Get Vanity Fairs HWD NewsletterSign up for essential industry and award news from Hollywood.Laura BradleyLaura Bradley is a Hollywood writer for VanityFair.com.
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