Olivia Colman, 52, debuts new long grey hair at screening of new film Wicker during the 22nd Zurich Film Festival

Olivia Colman looked unrecognisable with new long grey hair as she arrived at the screening of her new film Wicker during the 22nd Zurich Film Festival on Monday.

The actress, 52, has ditched her brunette pixie cut for her new role in Netflix's Pride And Prejudice.

And Olivia couldn't wipe the smile off her face as she showcased her stunning transformation alongside her Wicker co-star Alexander Skarsgård.

Olivia oozed elegance in a chic white dress and mini bow detailing while posing for photos on the iconic Green Carpet at Sechseläutenplatz.

Olivia's latest film Wicker has left fans scratching their heads with its bizarre concept. 

Described as 'vulgar, horny yet unexpectedly heartwarming', Wicker follows Olivia's character as the lonely Fisherwoman whose love life is hampered by her constant fishy odour.

Desperate for affection, she commissions the local basket weaver – played by Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage – to fashion her a husband out of wicker.

The creation, played by Alexander, comes to life and proves so alluring that it sparks fierce jealousy among the village’s women, threatening to disrupt the social order.

The first trailer was released to much fanfare in July, with viewers in shock at the graphic scenes between Olivia and Alexander.

While Olivia is no stranger to a regency bonkbuster - famously winning an Oscar for her role as Queen Ann in The Favourite - her tryst with the wicker man was quite unlike any other scene she's filmed. 

The trailer instantly opens with a racy scene as Olivia is flung across her bed in a passionate tryst before flashing back to show how she had become the subject of mockery in her village due to her single status. 

At her behest, Peter then spends a month weaving together a husband for her, who comes to life and ties the knot with her in a chapel. 

Another racy scene follows as Olivia undresses her wicker husband, gasping in awe as she admires his manhood before being grabbed in a passionate clinch. 

The villagers, which include Quadrophenia's Phil Daniels, Saltburn's Richard E. Grant, and The Crown's Elizabeth Debicki, soon grow obsessed with the couple and their relationship - with the men wanting the wicker man ousted, and the women lusting over him. 

Taking to the comment section after the trailer dropped, baffled fans penned: 'Olivia will not do a normal movie and i live for that'; 

'You know what? Fair play to her. I'm not going to judge the lady for wanting a hot monster husband'; 'this looks interesting, probably has a good message behind this story';

'This is insane, I'm so excited to see this. Perfect casting'; 'Somebody wove an interesting tale with this one, it seems.'

Others drew parallels between Wicker and Wicked, in which Wicked Witch Elphaba is in love with Scarecrow; and The Shape Of Water, in which a lonely janitor falls in love with an amphibious creature. 

The cast have spoken about the bizarre nature of the unconventional romance, which is based on Ursula Wills' short story, The Wicker Husband. 

Elizabeth said: ‘The character I play in this woman is called the Tailor’s wife.

‘She’s deeply unhappy, but she doesn’t know that yet, until she witnesses another woman in the village – the stinky beautiful fisherwoman – make a very different choice about the path she wants her life to follow and that completely unravels my character.’

Touching on his own role, Peter said: ‘He’s also an outsider, like the fisherwoman, so he has an affection for the stinky fisherwoman, although I don’t think the basketmaker even smells the stink.’

Meanwhile, Olivia has raved about the film, saying: ‘I think it’s in my top three favourite scripts I’ve ever read.’

Wicker currently boasts a 91 percent 'fresh' status on reviews aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes after its premiere at Sundance Film Festival in January.

It's the latest project to depict a 'monster romance' after the genre saw a huge boost from Gen Z fans. 

Some of the top books listed on literary review platform Goodreads and TikTok featured ultra-raunchy, escapist stories that went viral throughout 2024. 

Some of these include C.M. Nascosta’s Morning Glory Milking Farm, about a woman who has a 'one-sided crush on an out-of-her-league minotaur,' and Ruby Dixon’s Ice Planet Barbarians series, which focuses on a seven foot tall blue alien with horns and a tail.

And although the genre was nicknamed 'Romantasy' in 2008, it later caught on for the younger generation in their teenage years and early twenties.

Industry expert Julianne Buonocore, who's based in Pennsylvania, believes fantasy books are particularly popular with Gen Z and millennial women because of their 'escapist nature.'

Julianne, who founded book industry publication The Literary Lifestyle, previously told Lifestyle that fantasy romance as a genre took off after the popularity of Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros.

'This made way for other fantasy series, including monster books, to become popular on TikTok,' Julianne explained.

'These fantasy books often appeal to "new adult" readers just over 18.'

Saint James, 75, a rabbi by day and romance author at night, also FEMAIL: 'According to the Romance Writers of America, in order to be considered a romance, a story must have a happy ending.'

'In some ways, the details of the story - monsters, aliens, shape shifters - don’t matter as much as the satisfying defeat of the villain, obstacle, or problem,' Nola explained.

The romance author added that creating these alternative universes can help 'ramp down the anxiety around difficult issues.'

'Embodying that which is threatening into a "monster" is a way in which to gain some control over it,' Nola said, adding that reading these books is a way to deal with this 'complex and chaotic world.'

'Naming it and giving it form is a way of taking that which is amorphous and uncontrollable and trapping it into a more manageable shape,' Nola continued.

Wicker is set for release on October 23 in the States and on October 30 in the UK