The Favourite trailer: The Lobster director Yorgos Lanthimos' new film stars Olivia Colman as a volatile queen

Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone also star in the Greek filmmaker's quirky period comedy

The next film from acclaimed filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos has a brand new trailer.

Titled The Favourite, the film stars Olivia Colman on what looks like career-best form as a frail Queen Anne opposite Rachel Weisz's close friend Lady Sarah who must put up with her mercurial temper while governing the country in her stead.

“I am the Queen,” she tells Weisz's character shortly after berating a servant for merely looking at her. “But you are mad,” she responds.

Emma Stone completes the lead triumvirate as Abigail, a new servant who is taken under Sarah's wing and must soon take her place as the fiery Queen's aide.

Speaking to The Independent ahead of the release of his most recent feature The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Greek director Lanthimos described the film as “different” - and it certainly seems he wasn't lying judging by the trailer which you can watch above.

It seems the one thing it will be missing, however, is Colin Farrell who starred in both Sacred Deer and The Lobster which was released in 2015. Instead, Mark Gatiss and Nicholas Hoult round out the cast.

Colman's role clearly gave her practice ahead of her lead role duties in the third season of Netflix drama The Crown in which she's taking over from Claire Foy in the lead role of Queen Elizabeth

The Favourite is released in cinemas 1 January 2019