With our TVs still warm from bingeing The Crown season 3, Netflix may already be putting together a new cast. While Olivia Colman, Helena Bonham Carter, and the rest of the next-gen cast we got to know these past ten episodes (replacing seasons 1 and 2 leads Claire Foy and Vanessa Kirby, among others) are full steam ahead on season 4, Deadline reports that Netflix is mulling over replacements for seasons 5 and 6. In fact, the outlet claims we may already have a new Queen: Harry Potter’s Imelda Staunton.
Deadline says the actress, who notably played the evil Professor Umbridge in the magical movie franchise, is in talks to replace newcomer Olivia Colman come season 5. Staunton certainly has an impressive resume, having appeared in everything from Shakespeare In Love to Paddington to the recent Downton Abbey movie. She well and truly may be the only English actress beloved enough to take the torch from Colman (who we thankfully still have at least one more season with).
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Netflix, however, won't confirm the rumors.
"We are currently filming season 4 of The Crown but have not commissioned any further seasons as yet, therefore any news on casting remains pure speculation,” a Netflix spokesperson told Refinery29.
Luckily, confirmed casting news like that of Emma Corrin as Princess Diana is something we definitely can celebrate right now. The actress was announced back in April and has been spotted on set in character with Josh O’Connor’s Prince Charles while some of us are still devouring our second watch-through of season 3. I for one would never hope for seasons of The Crown to go by faster, even if it might just mean it's Staunton's turn with the corgis.