Peter Morgan, Stephen Daldry Developing 'Epic' Queen Elizabeth II TV Series THE CROWN for Netflix?

The Daily Mail writes that Peter Morgan, who wrote the film THE QUEEN (starring Helen Mirren), is partnering with Stephen Daldry, director of Morgan's Queen Elizabeth II West End play THE AUDIENCE (also starring Mirren), to create an "epic" television drama series following the six decades of Her Majesty's life as a leader. Netflix has nabbed the rights. The first few episodes will be released under the title THE CROWN.

The series will begin in 1947, when Princess Elizabeth Married Philip, and will move forward to her Coronation at Westminster Abbey in 1953 when she was just 26 years old and beyond, chronicling "the private, political and social successes and upheavals that occurred during her decades as sovereign".

The project will need to cast at least three actresses, maybe even four -- one to play Elizabeth from her first day as queen into her early thirties, another for her middle years, a third to portray her into her 60s, and possibly a fourth to carry through to age 90.

In addition to the central role, "there will be hundreds and hundreds of roles to be cast, from prime ministers to international leaders such as the U.S. presidents she has met. And probably Nelson Mandela will be in there too. And don't forget Prince Philip -- that's going to be a huge role for an actor, or more likely several. People will play Charles, Diana, Camilla, William, Kate ... the whole lot of them," a film and TV exec close to the project told the Mail.

Netflix is aiming to release THE CROWN in 2016.

Photo Credit: Peter James Zielinski