According to The Hollywood Reporter, the network is working on a new limited series about the Russian empress.

The show will be based on the 2012 best-seller Catherine The Great: Portrait of a Woman, written by Robert Massie.

The script will be written by Michael Cristofer (Gia), who will also executive produce alongside with Debra Martin Chase (The Princess Diaries) and Charles Pugliese.

Developing limited series is a bet from ABC to fill in the gap that will be left when the other network shows go into holiday hiatus. This new one will join The Blackbox, The Assets (airing on 2014) and another one about the gay rights movement.