Matt Smith - or to Doctor Who fans, the 11th Doctor - is moving to Netflix. The actor will star in an upcoming drama by the streaming service about the life of Queen Elizabeth II.
The series, titled The Crown, puts Smith in the shoes of a young Prince Philip, co-starring with Claire Foy as a young Queen Elizabeth II (who most recently portrayed Anne Boleyn in Wolf Hall).
The historical 10-episode drama is an adaptation of a stage play called The Audience by Peter Morgan (Frost, Nixon). The Netflix series will also feature John Lithgow as Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
Netflix plans on pulling out all the stops on the series, with the first season running with a budget of around $100 million. Like the stage play, the series will look at the relationship between the Queen and Downing Street shortly after World War II.
Producing The Crown is Andy Harries (The Queen) with episodes directed by Stephen Daldry (The Hours), Phil Martin (The Forger) and Julian Jarrold (Becoming Jane).
In 2009, Helen Mirren earned an Academy Award for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen, a film also penned by Morgan. Mirren also played the role of Queen Elizabeth in The Audience in both London's West End and on Broadway, the latter performance earning the actress a Tony Award.
As the 11th Doctor on Doctor Who, Smith quickly became a favorite with fans of the series. Smith left the iconic role in 2013, but not after becoming the first Doctor to ever receive a nomination for a BAFTA for best actor.
Since his departure from Doctor Who, Smith has taken on a variety of roles, including the Ryan Gosling-directed Lost River, as well as a role in Terminator: Genysis. Interestingly enough, Smith's role in Terminator: Genisys isn't yet known and trailers for the film have not included the actor in them. However, Smith signed on for three films in the new Terminator series, so it's likely his character is an important (albeit secret) one in the franchise.
Smith will also star in the upcoming action thriller film Patient Zero.
The Crown premieres on Netflix in 2016.
Photo Credit: BBC
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