‘Vera’ star joins Jim Broadbent and Karen Gillan in Queen Mary I comedy ‘Fools’

A great cast has been announced for a new British historical comedy called Fools!

The upcoming movie tells the little-known true story of the unlikely friendship between England’s first Queen, Mary I, and her humble court jester.

With the country on the brink of chaos in 1553 after Mary takes the throne, the ambitious Cardinal Pole is plotting to secure control in Fools, Deadline reports.

However, it turns out the Cardinal has overlooked a humble court jester, as the pious and apparently humourless Queen finds relief in her brilliant slapstick routines and the pair strike up a friendship.

Scottish actress Karen Gillan, best known for her roles in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy franchise and in the BBC’s Doctor Who before that, will be playing Mary Tudor.

Patsy Ferran (Hot Milk) will play the jester, while Brenda Blethyn from Vera has been cast in a currently unknown role.

Playing the scheming Cardinal is Jim Broadbent (The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry).

Fools is set to begin filming later this year, written and directed by Outnumbered co-creator Guy Jenkin.

The Emmy-winning writer has also previously penned episodes of Life on Mars, Kate & Koji, and Drop the Dead Donkey.

“I am thrilled to be working with such a supremely talented core group of actors on Fools,” Jenkin commented.

“Together, we will tell the untold story of the strange friendship between England’s first Queen, and her female jester.”

The project will “turn the conventions of a historical film inside-out,” he revealed, promising a “subversive, striking and very funny” movie.

Vera recently concluded its thirteenth season on ITV, although actress Brenda Blethyn is uncertain if the hit crime drama will return.

Every episode of Vera is available to watch on BritBox with a free 7-day trial.