Earlier in the year when coronavirus started to shut down productions around the world, Netflix assured fans of royal drama The Crown that its fourth season was already filmed, and would release this year on schedule. However the series is preparing for a longer break that may or may not be related to the COVID-19 crisis, THR reports, similar to the break between Seasons Two and Three when the new, older cast was introduced.
It’s already been revealed that Imelda Staunton will be taking over the role of Queen Elizabeth from Season Five–first played by Claire Foy, and currently by Olivia Colman. New information has revealed that Season Five won’t begin filming until 2021, with release not scheduled until 2022.
The upcoming fourth season is set to introduce Princess Diana (Emma Corrin) against the backdrop of the 1980s, while the following seasons will progress into the 2000s–though there are no plans currently to continue to the present day.
Despite announcing earlier this year that the show would be cut from six to five seasons, creator Peter Morgan recently changed his mind on this, revealing in July that the show would return to its original six season plan.