We’ve seen many films set within the world of Arthurian legend, often with mixed results. This is largely because so many of these films are trying to go for a gritty and realistic approach to the stories and don’t fully embrace the fantasy setting that the characters actually take place in. It would seem that this is a mistake that the upcoming The Green Night is certainly not making. As the first trailer from acclaimed director David Lowery’s film teases, The Green Knight is fully embracing the dark and magical world of King Arthur.
The story itself though is not actually about the mythical King himself but is rather based on a 14th-Century poem titled “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” which focuses on the story of Sir Gawain (played by Dev Patel), King Arthur’s nephew, who is sent on a quest to confront the titular, green-skinned giant. A far less familiar story than our usual King Arthur tale, but as the below trailer shows, there is still no shortage of action and magic on display in this movie:
An epic fantasy adventure based on the timeless Arthurian legend, The Green Knight tells the story of Sir Gawain (Dev Patel), King Arthur’s reckless and headstrong nephew, who embarks on a daring quest to confront the eponymous Green Knight, a gigantic emerald-skinned stranger and tester of men. Gawain contends with ghosts, giants, thieves, and schemers in what becomes a deeper journey to define his character and prove his worth in the eyes of his family and kingdom by facing the ultimate challenger. From visionary filmmaker David Lowery comes a fresh and bold spin on a classic tale from the knights of the round table.
I really like the look of this movie. Dark, moody, but most of all, leaning hard into its otherworldly setting and giving us all manner of monster and ghosts to look forward to. Perhaps fitting then that The Green Knight is being made by A24, who is known for producing top-quality offbeat horrors, as this movie certainly looks like it may offer some decent nightmare fuel too, to go along with what looks like a strong dramatic story.
The Green Knight was originally supposed to be released in May 2020, but thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic it got pushed out to a new release date of 30 July 2021. Alongside Patel, the movie also features an exceptional cast of Joel Edgerton, Alicia Vikander, Sarita Choudhury, Sean Harris, Kate Dickie, Barry Keoghan, and Erin Kellyman. That is a lot of talent in what looks like a captivating bit of filmmaking and an Arthurian movie certainly worth watching.
And to show off these different characters, A24 has released some new character posters for the movie too:
Last Updated: May 12, 2021
Daniel Hallinan
May 12, 2021 at 04:04
I’ve been looking forward to this for *ages*, and I’m excited that it’s now only two months away! Love the tone and aesthetic!
Also, that fox sounds *exactly* like Disco Elysium’s Limbic System, so much so that I had to check IMDB to make sure they didn’t hire Mikee Goodman for the roll! (They didn’t list the fox, so it’s still a mystery!)