By Creative Media Times
Focus Features
As filming began for the historical drama Mary Queen Of Scots, we have the first look at Saoirse Ronan’s title character and she looks as regal as ever. Ronan stars in the film opposite Margot Robbie as Elizabeth I.
Based on John Guy’s acclaimed biography My Heart is My Own: The Life of Mary Queen of Scots, the film artistic director Josie Rourke’s directorial debut. Academy Award nominee Beau Willimon (The Ides of March) wrote the screenplay adaptation. The film explores the early life of charismatic Mary Stuart, who was Queen of France at age 16 and widowed a couple of years later by 18.
Ronan and Robbie are joined by a fantastic cast including rising stars Jack Lowden who appeared in this summer’s Dunkirk (plus I’m looking forward to his Morrissey film England is Mine), Joe Alwyn and Martin Compston. Brendan Coyle, David Tennant, and Guy Pearce are also featured.
“We are privileged to be collaborating with our partners at Working Title on this stellar production, and with Josie as she makes the exciting move from stage to screen work,” said Focus chairman Peter Kujawski. “With two of today’s most vital actresses bringing to life two female titans, Mary, Queen of Scots will be one of the movie events of 2018.”
Here’s the synopsis from the release:
Mary, Queen of Scots explores the turbulent life of the charismatic Mary Stuart. Queen of France at 16 and widowed at 18, Mary defies pressure to remarry. Instead, she returns to her native Scotland to reclaim her rightful throne. But Scotland and England fall under the rule of the compelling Elizabeth 1. Each young Queen beholds her “sister” in fear and fascination. Rivals in power and in love, and female regents in a masculine world, the two must decide how to play the game of marriage versus independence. Determined to rule as much more than a figurehead, Mary asserts her claim to the English throne, threatening Elizabeth’s sovereignty. Betrayal, rebellion, and conspiracies within each court imperil both thrones – and change the course of history.
