In September 2014, "Deadline Hollywood" announced Dormer was cast in Screen Gems' action thriller "Patient Zero", alongside Matt Smith and "Game of Thrones" co-star John Bradley. The film was directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Stefan Ruzowitzky based on a script by Mike Le. "Patient Zero" was released through video on demand on 14 August 2018, before receiving a limited theatrical release on 14 September 2018, by Vertical Entertainment. A February 2017 press-release announced Dormer was cast as schoolteacher Mrs Hester Appleyard in "Picnic at Hanging Rock", an adaptation of the 1967 Australian novel of the same name by Joan Lindsay. The six episode feature aired on Amazon Prime and on BBC2 in the United Kingdom. Dormer's performance was described as "commanding" and "delicious".