Netflix Greenlights The Crown Prequel Series

Netflix has greenlit a prequel series to its acclaimed drama The Crown, with production set to begin following a reported deal worth approximately 500 million pounds with producer Left Bank Pictures.

The new series will chronicle the British royal family from the death of Queen Victoria in 1901 to the 1947 wedding of then-Princess Elizabeth to Philip Mountbatten at Westminster Abbey, bridging the gap to the original show's timeline. It will span the reigns of four monarchs: Edward VII from 1901 to 1910, George V from 1910 to 1936, Edward VIII in 1936, and George VI from 1936 to 1952. Key historical events expected to feature include the establishment of the House of Windsor in 1917 amid World War I anti-German sentiment, the abdication crisis of Edward VIII to marry Wallis Simpson, both world wars, and major social transformations such as women's suffrage and economic upheavals.

Peter Morgan, creator and writer of the original series, is returning to lead the project. A source close to the negotiations said Netflix had been in talks with Left Bank Pictures for some time before sealing the agreement. Morgan has already begun writing, with casting anticipated next year. He has...