From Shakespeare toGame of Thrones, the British royalty as always served as keen inspiration for high drama. One of the most fascinating and storied rivalries from the monarchy was that between Mary Stuart, the young queen of Scotland, and Queen Elizabeth I, who came to blows over religion and, of course, the throne. WithMary, Queen of Scots, their story is getting an update from theater directorJosie Rourke, making her feature film debut. Based on the biographyMy Heart Is My Own: The Life of Mary Queen of Scotsand scripted byHouse of CardscreatorBeau Willimon, the film follows Mary’s claim to the throne and the fallout of her threat to Elizabeth’s reign.
“They were both, in their own ways, making huge sacrifices to try to operate in this male-dominated world,” Rourke toldEW. “It’s not one against the other. It’s both of them against a particular environment that pitted them against each other.”
“Everyone manipulated their relationship,” Robbie echoes. “It’s complicated, it’s tragic, and it’s bizarre. Theonlyother person in the world who could understand the position they were in was each other.”
We already got a first look atSaoirse Ronanin the title role, and now EW has a pair of new images, including the reveal ofMargot Robbieas Queen Elizabeth. Check it outin the images below.Mary, Queen of Scotsalso starsJack Lowden(Dunkirk),Joe Alwyn(Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk),Martin Compston(Sweet Sixteen), andBrendan Coyle(Downton Abbey) as well asDavid TennantandGuy Pearceandarrives in theaters Aug 14, 2025.
Here’s the official synopsis forMary, Queen of Scots:
Mary, Queen of Scotsexplores the turbulent life of the charismatic Mary Stuart. Queen of France at 16 and widowed at 18, Mary defies pressure to remarry. Instead, she returns to her native Scotland to reclaim her rightful throne. But Scotland and England fall under the rule of the compelling Elizabeth 1. Each young Queen beholds her “sister” in fear and fascination. Rivals in power and in love, and female regents in a masculine world, the two must decide how to play the game of marriage versus independence. Determined to rule as much more than a figurehead, Mary asserts her claim to the English throne, threatening Elizabeth’s sovereignty. Betrayal, rebellion, and conspiracies within each court imperil both thrones – and change the course of history.
