A forthcoming historical series that stars Samantha Morton (Minority Report) as Catherine de Medici, the brutal ruler of France for more than five decades, has been unveiled by Entertainment Weekly. A debut date has not yet been set for the series. The eponymous character’s moniker came about because of her unusual affinity for poison, but she also became renowned because she was able to dominate the monarchy with an unpaid dowry and maintain her marriage to a guy who was notoriously in love with someone else despite her inability to have a child.
Images from the first episode of Catherine show Morton as Catherine and the outstanding production value of the series, which results in breathtaking costume designs and awe-inspiring landscapes. In addition to the interesting idea of a female queen needing to gain the respect and recognition of those around her, the visuals of the series imply that there are many more parts of it that will make it a must-see. In addition to Revolutionary Road and A Cure For Wellness, BAFTA-nominated writer Justin Haythe is behind The Serpent Queen.
To create the tone for the series, Stacie Passion (Dickinson) is engaged to direct numerous episodes during the first season. Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France, by Leonie Frieda, is the inspiration for the series. The ensemble also includes Game of Thrones’ Charles Dance as Pope Clement, Jellyfish’s Liv Hill as Catherine, Mary Queen of Scots’ Antonia Clarke, and Lupin’s Ludivine Sagnier as Diane of Poitiers. The Serpent Queen has yet to get any official announcements from Starz, including a trailer or a release date. Here’s the official summary, and here are some additional images:
Through flashbacks, Catherine defends her acts and shares the lessons she has learned with her new servant, Rahima, in ‘The Serpent Queen’ (Sennia Nanua). A wonderfully attractive lady-in-waiting, Diane de Poitiers (Ludivine Sagnier), is twice the king-to-age be’s when her uncle Pope Clement (Charles Dance) secures her marriage and a geopolitical alliance with France. Suddenly, Catherine finds herself in a situation where she must figure out who she can trust and how to outwit those who doubt her abilities.