House of Cards: Frank Underwood killed off

A newly released trailer for the sixth and final season of hit political thriller House of Cards shows Robin Wright as Claire Underwood visiting husband Frank’s grave.

The 20-second clip reveals that the former US president is buried next to his father, with his year of death stated as 2017, but gives nothing away about his death - “so the question for fans will now be what, or who, is responsible”, says ABC News.

The teaser confirms that, barring a biblical-style miracle or fantastical plot twist, Spacey’s character will not make an appearance in the final episodes of the Netflix series.

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Production on the sixth season was suspended last year, when Netflix cut ties with Spacey after Broadway actor Anthony Rapp claimed the Oscar winner had tried to initiate a sexual encounter with him when he was just 14.

Other men came forward with similar allegations, adding Spacey to Hollywood’s growing list of personae non gratae and throwing the fate of the show into limbo.

Earlier this year, producers confirmed that the disgraced star would not feature in the upcoming final season, but the fate of his character has remained a mystery until now.

Wright will step into the lead for the political drama’s eight-episode swansong. Fittingly, “the fifth season ended with Claire uttering the ground-breaking words ‘my turn’, after she takes over as president and pushes Frank out of the White House”, says The Hollywood Reporter.

Judging by her demeanour in the trailer, neither her accession to the presidency nor her husband’s death seems to have dampened her lust for power.

“When they bury me, it won't be in my backyard,” she is heard vowing at his graveside. “When they pay their respects, they'll have to wait in line.”

House of Cards returns to Netflix on 2 November