EMMA LAIRD, ISABELLA ROSSELLINI TO LEAD MARIE ANTOINETTE COURT SET MOVIE DRAMA VERMILLION

    VERMILLION   

MARIE ANTOINETTE ERA SET MOVIE DRAMA

British director Jon Amiel is preparing a French revolution set movie drama VERMILLION. Leading the cast is Emma Laird as Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, a daughter of the lower middle classes who uses her skills as a portrait painter to hustle her way into the royal court of Versailles.

Emma Laird will lead the new movie

 She has an affair with the left leaning, impoverished Count Alexis de Ligne, a handsome aristocrat who makes his living as a toy-boy for wealthy older women, to get a commission to paint the naive young Queen Marie Antoinette. Isabella Rossellini plays the formidable Madame de Noailles, an old-school aristocrat devoted to Marie Antoinette and haunted by a lost love. Millicent Simmonds plays Berthe, Élisabeth’s young servant and frequent muse. Her portraits will make her as immortal as ‘The Girl With the Pearl Earring'. But each underestimates the subversive power of love. As the deadly firestorm of the French Revolution erupts and the guillotine looms, all three will come to learn the true meaning of loyalty, friendship and courage.

SEE FIRST SET IMAGES AND TRAILER FROM MARIE ANTOINETTE ROYAL HISTORICAL SERIES SEASON 2

   MARIE ANTOINETTE  

FIRST SEASON 2 SET IMAGES ARE HERE

After announcing that BBC and PBS will air the second season of Canal + English language series MARIE ANTOINETTE sometime this year, we now have the first set images to show you the capricious French queen in costumes for the new season. After finally finding their footing in the first season, Marie Antoinette and her husband King Louis face an unprecedented financial crisis where disastrous consequences threaten ominously. Canal + will launch the Affair of the Necklace season from February 17th.

 

IN THE SECOND SEASON

bigger and stronger enemies are waiting in the wings to destroy Marie Antionette. The higher she climbs in the estimation of the French people, the greater the threats are against her. At the height of their power, Marie Antoinette and Louis face an unprecedented financial crisis. The incessant attacks of Provence and Chartres against the royal couple stir up the hatred of the nobles while disastrous consequences loom with the Diamond Necklace Affair. From Versailles to the Palais-Royal, the revolt rumbles on. Emilia Schule returns as Marie with Louis Cunningham playing King Louis XVI again. Jack Archer will return as his brother Provence.

 

De Versailles au Palais Royal, la révolte gronde...

Marie-Antoinette : L’affaire du collier, dès le 17 février seulement sur CANAL+. pic.twitter.com/lCsw55pXbo

— CANAL+ (@canalplus) February 10, 2025

SERIES TO EXPECT ON BBC IN 2025: FROM KING AND CONQUEROR, TO LOCKERBIE, MISS AUSTEN, LYNLEY AND SECOND SEASONS OF MARIE ANTOINETTE, GOLD AND TEN POUND POMS

   BBC 2025 TV SERIES   

KINGS, QUEENS, EARLS AND DUKES

After airing the first season two years ago, BBC Two will also air the second season of MARIE ANTOINETTE series later this year. Emilia Schüle as Marie, and Louis Cunningham as the king of France, Louis XVI, return to their roles. At the height of their power, while Marie Antoinette and Louis face an unprecedented financial crisis, the incessant attacks of Provence and Chartres against the royal couple stir up the hatred of the nobles while disastrous consequences are looming with infamous Affair of the Diamond Necklace incident. From Versailles to the Palais-Royal, the revolt rumbles… Meanwhile, BBC One has acquired LYNLEY series with Leo Suter playing the famous detective. They will also have TOWARDS ZERO latest Agatha Christie adaptation with Oliver Jackson Cohen and Matthew Rhys, THE GOLD season two with Hugh Bonneville, Tom Cullen returning to the roles of the gold robbers. Australia set TEN POUND POMS will also return with the second season, while Keeley Hawes will lead MISS AUSTEN costume drama on Jane Austen's sister. At some point during the year BBC will also launch KING AND CONQUEROR epic drama with James Norton and Nicholai Coster Waldau as Harold Earl of Wessex and William, duke of Normandy. Timothy Spall will lead detective drama DEATH VALLEY, while Connor Swindells will lead BBC's version of LOCKERBIE disaster in co production with Netflix.

SEE GUILLAUME CANET & MELANIE LAURENT AS LOUIS XVI AND MARIE ANTOINETTE IN THE FLOOD COSTUME DRAMA! APOCALYPTIC TEASER FOR GUILLAUME CANET'S FILM THE ACID!

 FIRST THE FLOOD IMAGE  

FROM NEW COSTUME MOVIE

Straight from France comes the first image of Guillaume Canet and Melanie Laurent as Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette in Gianluca Jodice's THE FLOOD (Le Deluge) movie set in the few months when the last king and queen of France were imprisoned, with their two young children, in a black castle on the outskirts of Paris, awaiting their executions. A brief and condensed period where, amidst violence and harassment, all masks fell off: those of two royals, as public and private figures; that of the old regime; that of a History that finally turned the page; and that of God who, from then on, was eclipsed by the shadows, leaving man entirely alone. 

  THE ACID TEASER  

STARRING GUILLAUME CANET

The acid rain will fall this September

Speaking of Canet, after playing the king he will transport himself into the modern days as September is bringing his new apocalyptic movie THE ACID set in the middle of a heat wave, when an ominous cloud appears and with it, a lethal acid rain. A separated family will have to come together to escape this plague ravaging the world. Laetitia Dosch and Patience Munchenbach also star in the film that follows Selma, 15, who grew up between her two separated parents, Michal and Élise. Clouds of acid and devastating rain fall on France. In a world that will soon sink, this fractured family will have to unite to face this climatic catastrophe and try to escape it. The film is currently competing at the controversial Cannes Film Festival.

RICHARD RANKIN IS NEW INSPECTOR REBUS AT VIAPLAY! CAST REVEALED FOR DISNEY + 19TH CENTURY LONDON SET BOXING DRAMA A THOUSAND BLOWS! MARIE ANTOINETTE GETS 2ND SEASON

   RICHARD RANKIN IS  

NEW INSPECTOR REBUS

Dicky Rankin is a hot new inspector Rebus

You already know that Nordic streamer Viaplay is planning a world expansion and it is already available in UK and some other European countries, and now they have added another English language series to their slate: Richard Rankin will play inspector REBUS in their new English original. The story follows 40-year-old Inspector John Rebus at a psychological crossroads following an altercation with an infamous Edinburgh gangster. At odds with a job increasingly driven by technocrats, involved in a toxic affair he knows he needs to end, and all but supplanted in his daughter’s life by his ex-wife’s wealthy new husband, Rebus begins to wonder if he still has a role to play – either as a family man or a police officer. Ian Rankin, no relation with Richard himself, wrote more than 20 novels about inspector Rebus.

 

   MARIE ANTOINETTE  

RENEWED FOR A SECOND SEASON

Beside The Gold which has been renewed at BBC, French Canal + has just renewed their MARIE ANTOINETTE series as well with Emilia Schüle returning as the queen and Louis Cunningham as Louis XVI. At the height of their power, while Marie Antoinette and Louis face an unprecedented financial crisis, the incessant attacks of Provence and Chartres against the royal couple stir up the hatred of the nobles and disastrous consequences are looming with The Affair of the Necklace. From Versailles to the Palais-Royal, the revolt rumbles! The first season starts on PBS in USA this Sunday.

   A THOUSAND BLOWS ADS  

CAST TO 19TH CENTURY DRAMA

Disney + 19th century set boxing drama and their new British original A THOUSAND BLOWS has unveiled cast! Malachi Kirby and Francis Lovehall play Hezekiah and Alec, two best friends from Jamaica who find themselves thrust into the vibrant and violent world of London’s East End in

Malachi Kirby, James Nelson Jayce, Stephen Graham

the 1880s.! Drawn into the criminal underbelly of the thriving boxing scene, Hezekiah meets Mary Carr (Erin Doherty), leader of The Forty Elephants, the notorious all-female London gang, as they battle for survival on the streets. As Hezekiah sharpens his new skills, he comes up against Sugar

Jason Tobin and Erin Doherty will also star

Goodson (Stephen Graham), a seasoned and dangerous boxer and the two are soon locked into an intense rivalry that spills out way beyond the ring. Steven Knight's 12 episode series will also star Jason Tobin, James Nelson-Joyce, Hannah Walters, Nadia Albina, Morgan Hilaire, Jemma Carlton and Caoilfhionn Dunne.

PREMIUM SPOTLIGHT ON CHEVALIER MOVIE DRAMA SET AT THE 18TH CENTURY COURT OF MARIE ANTOINETTE AND LOUIS XVI!

  CHEVALIER MOVIE DRAMA  

WELCOME TO FRENCH COURT

To our delight, there is a number of upcoming period set movies that will have their stories happening in France. Beside Clicquot, which will follow the rise

After cinemas Chevalier will land on Disney in June

of the famous champagne producing dynasty starring our sweetest boo Leo Suter, and Le Pot Au Feu de Dodin Bouffant, with Juliette Binoche and her baby's daddy Benoit Magimel in the love story set in the world of 1885 French gastronomy, we will first enjoy CHEVALIER movie drama which arrives to cinemas April 21st after successfully screening last September at Toronto Film Festival. After our visit to the lavish court of Catherine the Great yesterday, this one is taking us over to the glitzy court of Marie Antoinette. Her personal composer Chevalier de Saint-Georges also appears briefly in Marie Antoinette series which already aired in Europe, but will arrive to USA on PBS Masterpiece this March. But Stephen Williams directed movie, based on the true story of composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, the illegitimate son of an African slave and a French plantation owner, follows his rise to heights in French society as a composer before an ill-fated love affair.

 

THE STORY FOLLOWS 

 The rise and resurgence of Chevalier de Saint-Georges (played by Kelvin Harrison Jr), an 18th century French-Caribbean violinist and composer who rose to fame through his musical prodigy. But a complicated love life and the racism of the ancien régime leads to a falling out with Marie Antoinette (Lucy Boynton), whose entourage he was a member of at the French court, and Saint-Georges realizes that things must change. Beside being a composer, virtuoso violinist and an amazing swordsman who fought many duels, he also founded schools for children in Africa.

 WHO ELSE IS AT THE COURT?

The cast of the new movie also includes gorgeous Samara Weaving who stars as Marie-Josephine de Montalembert, Marton Csokas as Marc René, marquis de Montalembert, Alex Fitzalan as Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans and godawful Minnie Driver as Marie-Madeleine Guimard! Sian Clifford is Madame de Genlis with Joseph Proven playing famous Mozart (he lived at the time of Mozart, Haydn and Liszt) and Sam Barlien portraying the king himself Louis XVI of France! The film boasts resplendent costumes and sets which were shot in Czech capital Prague. 

SEE A BLACK MOZART AT MARIE ANTOINETTE'S COURT IN CHEVALIER COSTUME DRAMA TRAILER WITH SAMARA WEAVING, MARTON CSOKAS! ROBIN DES BOIS, PRINCE DES VOLEURS, FRENCH ROBIN HOOD EPIC MOVIE IN PRODUCTION!

   NEW ROBIN HOOD  

FRENCH LANGUAGE MOVIE

Ludovic Bernard is directing the feature

As Screen Daily reports, French studio Gaumont and Albertine Productions are preparing a French language feature film about legendary outlaw and archer Robin Hood. Ludovic Bernard, who worked on Lupin, will direct Robin des Bois, Prince des Voleurs (Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves) movie. Immensely ambitious, the movie will revolve around a brigand with a big heart: he is Saxon, he falls in love with a Norman girl, he is faithful to his King and he redistributes wealth. After Eroll Flynn, Walt Disney’s Fox and Kevin Costner, the producers wish to bring a French touch to this popular hero.

  CHEVALIER MOVIE TRAILER 

SET IN 18TH CENTURY PARIS

But your main period set treat for the beginning of the week is the fist trailer for costume drama CHEVALIER which should arrive into cinemas

Chevalier arrives next April

next April starring Kelvin Harrison Jr, Samara Weaving, Marton Csokas and Lucy Boynton as Marie Antoinette. The movie, which was shot in Czech capital Prague, depicts the rise and resurgence of Chevalier de Saint-Georges, a French-Caribbean violinist and composer (sometimes referred to by the nickname "Black Mozart") who rose to fame through his musical prodigy. But a complicated love life and the racism of the ancient regime leads to a falling out with Marie Antoinette and Saint-Georges realizes that things must change. The film premiered at Toronto Film Festival this September. Check out the flashy trailer below and tell us what you think, is he acting too modern for a costume drama?

PREMIUM SPOTLIGHT ON MARIE ANTOINETTE HISTORICAL TV SERIES STARTING NEXT WEEK WITH EMILIA SCHULE AND JAMES PUREFOY IN THE ROYAL CAST

 MARIE ANTOINETTE TV SERIES 

STARTS JUST IN A WEEK!

The series starts next week in France

After our visit to the royal mistress Diane de Poitiers and then to The Three Musketeers, we are finishing our glorious French week with her royal majesty MARIE ANTOINETTE who has just left the imperial palace Schonbrunn in Vienna and is off to join the royal court in Paris where she is expected to arrive October 31st with new historical series which will air on Canal + and then on BBC 2 in United Kingdom later this year and BBC First in Australia basically almost everywhere where Versailles aired as well. The good news for all you Americans is that the series has been sold to PBS for airing next March. The 8 part series, starring Emilia Schule in the lead role follows the famed queen Marie Antoinette, who was the last queen of France before the French Revolution. Louis Cunningham stars as the dauphin and the future King Louis XVI and James Purefoy as his father Louis XV who at some point tried to have sex with his new daughter in law! The scandal!  Marthe Keller, Jack Archer, Jasmine Blackborow, Gaia Weiss as the king's favourite and professional whore Madame du Barry with whom Marie did not get on well, Crystal Sheperd, Caroline Piette, Oscar Lesage, Roxane Duran, Liah O’Prey, Jonas Bloquet, Nathan Willcocks, Laura Benson, Nicola Perot, Paul Bandey, Maximilien Seweryn also star in the international cast.

 

  MARIE ANTOINETTE 

was barely 14 years old when she left Austria and her mother empress Maria Theresa to marry the Dauphin in France. She is still a stubborn and dissipated young child who must comply with French rules, which are numerous and complicated. The young princess quickly suffers from not being able to live her life as she sees fit. She is constantly under pressure to carry on the Bourbon line. A mission more complicated than expected: even if the relationship between Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI improves over time, it will take them seven years to consummate their marriage. From the young runner-up to the queen of style, a true fashion icon, Marie Antoinette quickly impresses with her charisma and naturalness. She will gradually understand the codes and secrets of the French court and completely recreate Versailles in her image! But her success stirs up jealousy and rivalry. Defamatory pamphlets and persistent rumors about her private life undermine her reputation. It will take a lot of courage to defeat her numerous enemies at the Versailles court.

  

 THE STORY BEHIND THE SET

Given that the show has been written by an all female team you can expect a feminist agenda stuffed into the times where they did not know an F about Feminism. The 1770s set show was shot in authentic historical locations including the chateau of Versailles from which Marie went on to have her wigged head chop chopped after advising the starving masses to eat some cake if they don't have bread. Of course, the show will depict such a person as not frivolous but strong, empowering, emancipated and independent. I know, I know, I am laughing too... or maybe I am crying. What is known to be true is that she did break down the etiquette established by Louis XIV whom we watched in Versailles series created by the same team as the new series. The court will also include Joseph Bologne de Saint-George, a Creole virtuoso violinist and conductor who was part of Marie-Antoinette’s entourage and who is soon getting his own movie. The series was shot on the sets that took more than two months to built and with the crew that had almost 800 people! The second  season is already being written!

SEE ROYALLY EXCITING NEW TEASER FOR MARIE ANTOINETTE HISTORICAL TV SERIES! HENRY LLOYD HUGHES JOINS JASON ISAACS IN ARCHIE CARY GRANT BIOPIC TV SERIES

 MARIE ANTOINETTE TV SERIES 

NEW ROYAL TEASER IS HERE!

After that first teaser that we received a few weeks we now have an exciting longer one filled with royal splendour for new historical series MARIE ANTOINETTE which will air on Canal + and BBC in United Kingdom later this month and Australia basically almost everywhere where Versailles aired as well. The eight part series, starring Emilia Schule in the lead role follows the famed queen Marie Antoinette, who was the last queen of France before the French Revolution. Louis Cunningham stars as King Louis XVI and James Purefoy as his father!  Marthe Keller, Jack Archer, Jasmine Blackborow, Gaia Weiss, Crystal Sheperd, Caroline Piette, Oscar Lesage, Roxane Duran, Liah O’Prey, Jonas Bloquet, Nathan Willcocks, Laura Benson, Nicola Perot, Paul Bandey, Maximilien Seweryn also star in the international cast. The series will officially start October 31st in France!

 

  MARIE ANTOINETTE 

was barely 14 years old when she left Austria and her mother empress Maria Theresa to marry the Dauphin in France. She is still a stubborn and dissipated young child who must comply with French rules, which are numerous and complicated. The young princess quickly suffers from not being able to live her life as she sees fit. She is constantly under pressure to carry on the Bourbon line. A mission more complicated than expected: even if the relationship between Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI improves over time, it will take them seven years to consummate their marriage. From the young runner-up to the queen of style, a true fashion icon, Marie Antoinette quickly impresses with her charisma and naturalness. She will gradually understand the codes and secrets of the French court and completely recreate Versailles in her image! But her success stirs up jealousy and rivalry. Defamatory pamphlets and persistent rumors about her private life undermine her reputation. It will take a lot of courage to defeat her numerous enemies at the Versailles court.

 HENRY LLOYD HUGHES JOINS 

CARY GRANT ARCHIE SERIES

After we announced Jason Isaacs as the lead in Cary Grant biopic TV series ARCHIE for ITVX and BritBox, we now know that the cast will also

Henry Lloyd Hughes has joined the cast

have Henry Lloyd-Hughes next to Laura Aikman as Cary’s ex-wife Dyan Cannon, Harriet Walter as Grant’s mother. Dainton Anderson, Calam Lynch and Oaklee Pendergast as young versions of Archie Leach (his real name) and Kara Tointon as young Elsie. Ian Pulston-Davies, Ian McNeice, Jason Watkins, Lisa Faulkner and Niamh Cusack are also in. The series will show his early life and cross to 1961 at the height of his fame. It will start with his birth in Bristol in 1904 and tell the story of a childhood spent in extreme poverty, dealing with his father’s adultery and the loss of older brother John. At 14, he joined music hall act and moved to the U.S. and, soon after, Cary Grant was born.