The Crown (TV series)

===Development===
In November 2014, it was announced that [[Netflix]] was to adapt the 2013 stage play ''[[The Audience (2013 play)|The Audience]]'' into a television series.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-30034850|publisher=BBC|website=www.bbc.co.uk|date=13 November 2014|title=Netflix to adapt Queen Elizabeth II play The Audience|access-date=19 January 2020|archive-date=3 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170103141125/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-30034850|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Peter Morgan]], who wrote the 2006 film ''[[The Queen (2006 film)|The Queen]]'' and the play, is the main scriptwriter for ''The Crown''.<ref name="PeterMorgan">{{Cite news |title=Netflix plans original UK drama about the Queen |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-27539739 |work=[[BBC News]] |access-date=3 February 2016 |date=23 May 2014 |archive-date=25 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925164442/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-27539739 |url-status=live }}</ref> The directors of the first season are [[Stephen Daldry]], [[Philip Martin (director)|Philip Martin]], [[Julian Jarrold]], and [[Benjamin Caron]].<ref>{{cite news |title=The Crown is a 'game changer for British drama' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/on-demand/netflix/the-crown-game-changer-for-british-drama/ |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |access-date=5 November 2016 |date=17 October 2016 |archive-date=4 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104210312/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/on-demand/netflix/the-crown-game-changer-for-british-drama/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The first 10-part season was the most expensive drama produced by Netflix and [[Left Bank Pictures]] to date, costing at least £100&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite web |title=Made in the UK:The Crown |url=http://www.britishfilmcommission.org.uk/made-in-the-uk-the-crown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161120010308/http://www.britishfilmcommission.org.uk/made-in-the-uk-the-crown/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 November 2016 |website=British Film Commission |access-date=19 November 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/on-demand/2016/07/12/the-crown-everything-you-need-to-know-about-netflixs-100-million/ |title=The Crown: the Royal family are 'nervous' about Netflix's new £100 million series |date=29 July 2016 |access-date=2 August 2016 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |archive-date=1 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160801081526/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/on-demand/2016/07/12/the-crown-everything-you-need-to-know-about-netflixs-100-million/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://uk.ign.com/articles/2015/06/19/matt-smith-starring-in-netflix-series-the-crown |title=Matt Smith starring in Netflix series, The Crown |website=IGN |date=19 June 2015 |access-date=22 June 2015 |first=Anthony |last=Couto |archive-date=14 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114040438/https://www.ign.com/articles/2015/06/19/matt-smith-starring-in-netflix-series-the-crown |url-status=live }}</ref> A second season was commissioned,<ref>{{cite news |title=Netflix's glittering Crown could leave BBC looking a little dull |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/oct/31/netflix-glittering-crown-bbc-dull-launch-tv |work=[[The Guardian]] |author=Martinson, Jane |access-date=31 October 2016 |date=4 November 2016 |archive-date=1 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161101152930/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/oct/31/netflix-glittering-crown-bbc-dull-launch-tv |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="TelegraphOct2016">{{cite news |title=The Crown is a 'game changer for British drama' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/on-demand/netflix/the-crown-game-changer-for-british-drama/ |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |access-date=17 October 2016 |date=4 November 2016 |archive-date=22 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161022045723/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/on-demand/netflix/the-crown-game-changer-for-british-drama/ |url-status=live }}</ref> with the series intended to span 60 episodes over six seasons.<ref name="telegraph" /> By October 2017, "early production" had begun on an anticipated third and fourth season,<ref name="ColmanCast" /> and by the following January, Netflix confirmed the series had been renewed for third and fourth seasons.<ref name="THRSeason3&4">{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/crown-season-3-all-details-far-1077716|title='The Crown' Season 3: All the Details (So Far)|last=Bentley|first=Jean|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=24 January 2018|access-date=24 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126012505/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/crown-season-3-all-details-far-1077716|archive-date=26 January 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In January 2020, Morgan announced that the series had been renewed for a fifth and final season. Speaking to ending the series with five seasons, after it had been intended to last six, Morgan said while crafting the stories for season five, "it has become clear to me that this is the perfect time and place to stop"; Netflix and Sony supported Morgan's decision.<ref name="FinalSeasonAnnounce" /> However, in July 2020, Netflix announced that the series would receive a sixth season as originally intended. Morgan said that when the storylines were being discussed for season five, "it soon became clear that in order to do justice to the richness and complexity of the story we should go back to the original plan and do six seasons". He added that the final two seasons would enable them "to cover the same period in greater detail".<ref name="SeasonSixConfirmed">{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/07/the-crown-season-six-peter-morgan-1202981397/|title='The Crown' Will Run For Six Seasons After Peter Morgan Changes Mind On Fifth Series Finale|last=Kanter|first=Jake|work=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|date=9 July 2020|access-date=9 July 2020|archive-date=11 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200711084310/https://deadline.com/2020/07/the-crown-season-six-peter-morgan-1202981397/|url-status=live}}</ref> As of 2020, the estimated production budget of ''The Crown'' has been reported to be $260&nbsp;million, making it one of the most expensive television series ever.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/nov/16/from-the-crown-to-game-of-thrones-whats-the-most-expensive-tv-show-ever|title=From The Crown to Game of Thrones: what's the most expensive TV show ever?|accessdate=9 June 2021|newspaper=The Guardian|first=Jack |last=Seale|date=16 November 2019}}</ref>