Starz Orders Catherine De Medici Drama ‘The Serpent Queen’

Starz continues to double down on European royalty with its latest series order – an eight-part drama about Catherine de Medici.

The cable network has ordered The Serpent Queen, based on Leonie Frieda’s book CATHERINE DE MEDICI:RENAISSANCE QUEEN OF FRANCE.

It comes from writer and executive producer Justin Haythe, who penned the screenplay for the Leonardo DiCaprio-Kate Winslet feature Revolutionary Road, and will be exec produced by The Hunger Games director Francis Lawrence and The Matrix exec producer Erwin Stoff.

Stacie Passon, who has directed for Billions, American Gods and Dickinson, will direct multiple episodes including the premiere.

The series is produced by Lionsgate Television and 3 Arts Entertainment.

It is the latest U.S. drama to feature Catherine de Medici. who was played by Megan Follows in The CW’s Mary Queen of Scots drama Reign.

It is also the latest in a long line of female focused-period dramas for the network, which has found success with the likes of Outlander, The White Queen and The White Princess. The network is also developing a slate of series inspired by “extraordinary women of history” and has set a drama about Eleanor of Aquitaine from A Discovery Of Witches writer Susie Conklin and Playground Entertainment as the first in the strand.

“The Serpent Queen may be the most cunning account of one of the most influential women ever to wear a crown that Starz has told,” said Christina Davis, President of Original Programming for Starz. “We are thrilled to be working with such an incredibly talented team who will give this series a modern voice among a sensational historical backdrop.”