THE YOUNG VICTORIA/READY TO DEBUT

A classic in the making? "The Young Victoria" has the pedigree and soon the waiting will be over.

At least the 10 weeks of principal photography have been completed.

Wrapping is always a relief, but perhaps more of a relief than usual in this case, since the man behind the camera, fliming the early years of one of the greatest of British icons, was the French Canadian Jean-Marc Vallée, previously best known for wacky cult comedy “C.R.A.Z.Y.”.

Whatever would such an off the wall director make of a young British princess?

That's where the pedigree comes in. The script, for starters. “The Young Victoria” chronicles Victoria's rise to power, focusing on the early turbulent years of her reign and her legendary romance and marriage to Prince Albert and was written by Julian Fellowes, who collected an Academy Awarf for “Gosford Park”.

And Brit producer extraordinaire, Graham King, was overseeing Vallée, ably assisted by a fairly well-known director, Anglophile Martin Scorcese. No worries there.

Cast wise, the parade begins with Emily Blunt (“The Devil Wears Prada”) and Rupert Friend (“Pride and Prejudice”), (together in the main photo, as Victoria and Albert), Paul Bettany (“The Da Vinci Code”), Miranda Richardson (“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”), Jim Broadbent (“Iris”), Mark Strong (“Stardust”) and Thomas Kretschmann (“King Kong”).

Even so, the jury will be out until the film survives post-production and hits the screen. Will this be another great Queen movie? The signs are good, but only time will tell.

Filed November 19, 2007.