The Great Trailer Finds Elle Fanning as a Snarky Young Russian Monarch
If the trailer for Hulu’s upcoming series The Great, starring Elle Fanning, reminds you a bit of The Favourite, it’s not accidental. The series not only shares a star with the movie (Nicholas Hoult) but was penned by Tony McNamar, who co-wrote The Favourite with Deborah Davis. Both projects put an anachronistic spin on historical royalty, with the television show focusing on Russia’s Catherine The Great (Fanning) and Emperor Peter III (Hoult). Of course, the subject matter might also remind you of HBO’s recent Catherine the Great (which starred Helen Mirren as the regent later in life), and the general vibe brings to mind both Apple TV’s Dickinson and Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette.
Still, the project definitely looks like it’s worth checking out in its own right.
Fanning plays Catherine the Great as a young princess in the early stages of her courtship with Peter. Spoiler alert, we suppose, for those who don’t know Russian history, but the pair may have been one of the least happy royal couples this side of King Henry VIII of England and his six wives. It didn’t help matters that Peter was a generally unpopular ruler. Indeed, the trailer eventually crescendos with Catherine realizing she might be able to take power for herself.
Yes, the show seems to promise lots of fine fashions, royal debauchery, and even some memorable dance numbers, but unlike The Favourite, we know that this story ends with a young woman actually taking power and not cast aside by the monarch.
The mini-series is set to debut on Hulu on May 15th.
Related: Elle and Dakota Fanning Will Finally Play Sisters for the First Time
Elle Fanning Has a Bold, Grown-Up Wardrobe to Match Her New Role in The Beguiled
For a brief moment, Fanning, in Vivienne Westwood, seems to have pondered wearing a bit of color. It didn’t last long, though it made a splash at the Hollywood Foreign Press dinner in Beverly Hills, California, August 2014. Photo by Getty Images.
The baby-faced, temporarily brunette actress was already in the know at 16, wearing insider favorite label Rochas to a screening of Low Down at the Mill Valley Film Festival in San Rafael, California, October 2014. Photo by Miikka Skaffari/WireImage.
In Marchesa, Fanning demonstrates her penchant for dressing beyond her years (and somehow making it work). Here, she promotes her film Low Down at its premiere in Hollywood, California, October 2014. Photo by Tibrina Hobson/FilmMagic.
Like any good baby style star, Fanning puts in the requisite Rodarte appearance, at a dinner for the Rodarte x Superga collaboration with Gia Coppola in Los Angeles, California, January 2015. Photo by Stephanie Keenan/WireImage.
This Valentino is a quintessentially Fanning look — pastels, ruffles, chiffon, almost-but-not-quite too much dress for a then-16-year-old. She deserves a place at the grown-ups’ table at the Women in Film pre-Oscar party in West Hollywood, California, February 2015. Photo by Getty Images.
At Outfest Los Angeles, Fanning proves that she’s not tied to any label — here, in a cute Prada dress at the opening night gala for Tig in Los Angeles, California, July 2015. Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic.
Fanning rarely opts for a dark palette, but this black, ruffled Emilio Pucci dress stayed within her comfort zone of princess silhouettes at the Toronto Film Festival in Toronto, Ontario, September 2015. Photo by Getty Images.
And when she does go for a color, it’s sure to pop. Here, she wears Gucci for the premiere of Trumbo at the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, Ontario, September 2015. Photo by Getty Images.
attends the premiere of “Trumbo” at Samuel Goldwyn Theater on October 27, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California.
While the stars around her opted for silver statements, Fanning kept it simple in Thakoon, her milky complexion allowing her to pull off ivory tones that others wouldn’t dare — here, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala in New York, New York, May 2016. Photo by Getty Images.
Over the past few months, Fanning has developed her own style aesthetic — this Valentino Couture gown is ethereal, yet with quirky details like a body chain. It’s a definite style statement from a girl who’s making her name working with Nicolas Winding Refn on a movie about models.
Elle Fanning at the amfAR Gala in Cannes, France, May 2016. Photo by Kevin Tachman/amfAR/WireImage.
Fanning joins the legions of cute young stars (Kristen Stewart chief among them) wearing Karl Lagerfeld’s designs — here, a short, frilly Chanel dress for the Neon Demon photocall in Cannes, France, May 2016. Photo by Getty Images.
She’s definitely got a color palette, and she’s sticking to it — here, she wears Alexander McQueen to the afterparty for Neon Demon‘s Cannes premiere in Cannes, France, May 2016. Photo by Getty Images.
Alternate title: Elie Saab and Elle Fanning, a love story. Fanning wore a couture design by Saab to the U.K. premiere of The Neon Demon in London, England, May 2016. Photo by Karwai Tang.
During a quick hiatus from promoting her new film, Fanning stopped in at Alessandro Michele’s Gucci Cruise 2017 presentation — in Gucci, naturally. She and director Nicolas Winding Refn sat front row at the presentation in London, England, June 2016. Photo by Getty Images.
Fanning’s latest designer ensemble was a sharp turn from her previous looks, and a welcome change: Her Gucci tracksuit proves she’s not getting fashion-stagnant. Photo by Getty Images.
Elle Fanning in Lanvin at the premiere of The Neon Demon in Paris, France, June 2016.
Elle Fanning in Marc Jacobs at Variety’s Power of Young Hollywood event in Los Angeles, California, August 2016.
Elle Fanning in Dolce & Gabbana at the premiere of The Neon Demon in Hollywood, California, June 2016.
Elle Fanning in Creatures of the Wind at the Just One Eye x Creatures of the Wind collaboration dinner in Los Angeles, California, August 2016.
Elle Fanning in Rodarte with Jimmy Choo shoes and Tiffany & Co. jewelry at the premiere of 20th Century Women at the New York Film Festival in New York, New York, October 2016.
Elle Fanning wore a pink Max Mara coat at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, January 2017.
Elle Fanning in Rodarte at the Harper’s Bazaar 150 Most Fashionable Women party in West Hollywood, California, January 2017.
Elle Fanning in Oscar de la Renta at the premiere of Live by Night in Hollywood, California, January 2017.
Elle Fanning in Prada at the Fondazione Prada dinner during the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.
Elle Fanning in Miu Miu at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala in New York, New York, May 2017.
Elle Fanning in custom Vivienne Westwood at the premiere of Ismael’s Ghosts during the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.
Elle Fanning in Marc Jacobs at the afterparty for the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala in New York, New York, May 2017.
Elle Fanning in Prada at the photocall for How to Talk to Girls at Parties during the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.
Elle Fanning in Gucci at the premiere of How to Talk to Girls at Parties during the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.
