Hulu is set to begin work on a new series called The Great, which centers on the life and actions of the late Russian empress known as Catherine the Great. The woman, who first came close to the crown after marrying her husband Peter, the emperor of Russia, is a character who is both undeniably complex and intriguing. The latest news regarding the show, which has revealed two names that are closely attached to the project, lists Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult as being very likely to take on the roles of Catherine and Peter.
Catherine the Great was a figure who, upon researching, can cause great feelings of confusion in regards to whether to feel bad for, or afraid of, the woman. Settling on both options is probably most likely for most, as her complicated love life and passion for the throne brought the woman times of both positive and negative connotations.
Despite being encouraged to begin a relationship with her future husband at the age of 10, a time in which she was not interested in him, the pair later found themselves romantically involved. The relationship between Catherine and Peter was one of extremely poor health, however, with the pair adopting feelings of jealousy and disdain quite often. Both members were publicly known to have slept with other people throughout their marriage, a controversy that continued throughout Peter’s rule of the country.
Catherine always aspired to rip Peter of his power before granting it to herself, pushing her to seek out opportunities in which she could gain leadership of the vast land over which he ruled. This all came to a head in 1725, the year in which (many think) Catherine aided in the plot to overthrow her husband, who faced his death very shortly after. Although he had been ill throughout much of his life, many of his maladies are said to have come back in a singular attack on his body throughout the final days of his life. Many find this to sound a bit fabricated, however, as key moments of his final days still remain unknown, and the distaste the woman had for her husband seems too strong to ignore.
Elle Fanning has acted in many films throughout the years including 20th Century Women, Maleficent, and Super 8. She is also connected to the project further by her role behind the camera. Also being one of the executive producers for the show, she is reported to have helped in closing the deal when selling the program to Hulu, a streaming platform with many successful original series.
Nicholas Hoult has also gained recognition throughout his acting career, playing roles in Mad Max: Fury Road, Warm Bodies, and the X-Men series. The idea of Hoult’s character in this series being one of the biggest in the cast leads to questions regarding the show’s format.
It seems as though the show will have to focus on Catherine’s relationship with her husband before his death, since Hoult may be hired in the first place. However, the title of the program also refers to Catherine’s rule, which can reasonably lead to the thinking of this show revolving around an already-elected empress. This uncertainty may even be a signal that each episode may follow at least two timelines, which would be an interesting take on a known story.