‘The Favourite’ Trailer: Yorgos Lanthimos Returns With Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz & Olivia Colman For Royal Intrigue

Get ready to adjust your early 2019 Oscar predictions because it looks like there’s yet another likely frontrunner on the horizon. The period piece genre is getting an unsettling twist in Yorgos Lanthimos’ newest historical drama “The Favourite.” We now have our first look at the highly anticipated Lanthimos title in the first trailer for the film, courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures.

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Following his uncomfortably funny 2015 satire “The Lobster” and his mesmerizing 2017 mystery “The Killing of a Sacred Deer,” Lanthimos now returns to helm an 18^th century English drama. “The Favourite” delves into the inter-familial relationships of Queen Anne, the Duchess of Marlborough, and the Duchess’s younger cousin – ultimately exploring the power struggle within their political hierarchy.

Here’s the official synopsis:

THE FAVOURITE is a bawdy, acerbic tale of royal intrigue, passion, envy and betrayal in the court of Queen Anne in early 18th century England. At the center of the story is the Queen herself (Olivia Colman), whose relationship with her confidante, adviser and clandestine lover Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough (Rachel Weisz) is turned upside down by the arrival of the Duchess’s younger cousin Abigail (Emma Stone). Soon the balance of power shifts between the women as they jockey for influence with the Queen and the court.

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Reteaming with Lanthimos for the second time is Olivia Coleman (“The Lobster,” “Tyrannosaur”) who plays Queen Anne, and Rachel Weisz (“The Lobster,” this year’s “Disobedience”) who plays Sarah Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough. Alongside Coleman and Weisz, “The Favourite” stars Emma Stone, Mark Gatiss, Joe Alwyn, and Nicholas Hoult. Also under Lanthimos’ direction is cinematographer Robbie Ryan (“American Honey,” “I, Daniel Blake”), Academy Award-winning costume designer Sandy Powell (“Carol”), and production designer Fiona Crombie (“Macbeth”).

With immense talent clearly on display in front of and behind the camera, it’s no question that “The Favourite” is a title worth keeping an eye out for this fall. From scripters Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, and producers Ceci Dempsey, Ed Guiney, Yorgos Lanthimos, and Lee Magiday, “The Favourite” will hit theaters on November 23^rd – just in time for awards season. Check out the first trailer below.