Movie starring Emma Stone, Olivia Colman and Rachel Weisz filmed in Hatfield

Billed as “an acerbic tale of royal intrigue, passion, envy and betrayal”, The Favourite was shot on location at Hatfield House last year.

Directed by Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos, of The Lobster fame, the movie is due for UK cinema release on January 1, 2019, after opening in America in November.

The Favourite will also open the New York Film Festival in September.

So where was The Favourite filmed?

A teaser trailer for the film was released earlier this month, with Hatfield House figuring prominently in the 69-second video clip, which you can watch below.

Sharing the trailer on social media, Hatfield House tweeted: “We are excited to share the new trailer for The Favourite, featuring the House, Gardens and grounds of Hatfield House! #thefavourite #wearefamous”

MORE: Behind the scenes of the filming of The Favourite at Hatfield House

Scenes in the trailer clearly show the approach to the South Front of Hatfield House, and the estate’s East Garden where the 'shooting' scene involving Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone was filmed.

Interior scenes include ones shot in the magnificent Marble Hall, the Long Gallery and the King James Drawing Room at the Hertfordshire stately home. Some scenes were also shot at Hampton Court Palace and in Oxford.

MORE: The real story of Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough

A statement on Hatfield House's website has since confirmed about 85% of the movie was filmed on location at the Hertfordshire estate.

Hatfield House was also used extensively by Ridley Scott last year – twice – for filming of crime thriller All The Money in the World, firstly with Kevin Spacey playing billionaire J. Paul Getty and then Christopher Plummer winning an Oscar nomination for playing the same role after House of Cards actor Spacey was axed from the movie.

TV series Taboo starring Tom Hardy was also shot on location at Hatfield House, as was Breathe and Wonder Woman.

Starring Broadchurch’s Olivia Colman as Queen Anne, The Favourite is a bawdy historical period drama set in the early 18th century.

Emma Stone, who won a best actress Oscar for La La Land, and The Mummy’s Rachel Weisz, who is married to James Bond actor Daniel Craig, play cousins in the movie.

England is at war with the French. Nevertheless, duck racing and pineapple eating are thriving in Queen Anne’s court.

A frail Queen Anne occupies the throne and her close friend Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz) governs the country in her stead while tending to Anne’s ill health and mercurial temper.

When a new servant Abigail (Emma Stone) arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough.

Sarah takes her cousin Abigail under her wing, and Abigail sees a chance at a return to her aristocratic roots.

As the politics of war become quite time consuming for Sarah, Abigail steps into the breach to fill in as the Queen’s close companion.

Their burgeoning friendship gives her a chance to fulfil her ambitions, and she will not let woman, man, politics or rabbit stand in her way.

The cast of The Favourite also includes Nicholas Hoult, from the X-Men movies and blockbuster Mad Max: Fury Road, Joe Alwyn and Sherlock’s Mark Gatiss.

Describing Yorgos Lanthimos’ take on history in The Favourite, Rachel Weisz said: “I would say it’s a comedy. I think he would say it’s a comedy. It’s funny.

“It’s different in that it’s not an imagined world, almost all of it really happened.

“There are some things that are dreamt up, but it’s English history, so it’s not just a Yorgosian dystopia or fairy tale.”

The screenplay is by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara.

The Favourite’s Olivia Colman will also play Queen Elizabeth II in the upcoming third series of Netflix series The Crown, which includes scenes filmed at Knebworth House.

UPDATE: The Favourite reigns with 10 British Independent Film Awards gongs

The Favourite took home 10 BIFA trophies following the ceremony at Old Billingsgate Market.

Yorgos Lanthimos’ period comedy-drama was named the Best British Independent Film of the year. Olivia Colman picked up the Best Actress gong and Rachel Weisz beat Emma Stone to the BIFA Best Supporting Actress category. Writers Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara picked up the Best Screenplay award, while Yorgos Lanthimos claimed the Best Director gong. The Favourite also won five awards in the BIFA 2018 Craft Winners. They were: • Best Casting: Dixie Chassay, The Favourite. • Best Cinematography: Robbie Ryan, The Favourite. • Best Costume Design: Sandy Powell, The Favourite. • Best Makeup and Hair: Nadia Stacey, The Favourite. • Best Production Design: Fiona Crombie, The Favourite.