In a surprise casting choice, Kristen Stewart is set to play Princess Diana, who married into the British royals as Lady Diana Spencer and died in 1997 after a car crash in Paris, in Pablo Larraín’s drama Spencer.

The project form CAA Finance and FilmNation Entertainment is written by Steven Knight (Dirty Pretty Things, Locke). Stewart will portray Diana as she decides, during her Christmas holidays with the royal family at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, England, to leave her marriage to Prince Charles.

Production is expected to begin in early 2021, with Larraían and Juan de Dios Larraín, the director’s brother and filmmaking partner, producing through their Fabula banner, along with Jonas Dornbach, Janine Jackowski and Paul Webster.

Stewart was introduced to worldwide audiences in 2002 with her performance opposite Jodie Foster in Panic Room, and became a full-fledged star with the Twilight Films. Her other film credits include Clouds of Sils Maria, Amazon Studios’ Seberg and Sony’s Charlie’s Angels, directed by Elizabeth Banks.

CAA Media Finance Arranged financing for Spencer and will represent the U.S. distribution rights along with Endeavor Content. FilmNation Entertainment is handling the international rights and will introduce the film to buyers at the upcoming virtual Cannes market.