Guy Ritchie's King Arthur: Final trailer released gets critics fired up
Charlie Hunnam, Jude Law and David Beckham among stars in crime-caper director's Game of Thrones-style take on legendary tale
Fans have been given their last glimpse of Guy Ritchie's King Arthur: Legend of the Sword before it hits the big screen.
Ritchie has put aside crime films such as Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels to retell the classic tale of the monarch who led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders.
Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy) stars as Arthur while Jude Law (Sherlock Holmes) plays his treacherous uncle Vortigern. Former footballer David Beckham also makes a cameo as a disgruntled knight.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
It begins with Arthur as a boy in the back streets of Londinium, unaware of his royal lineage until he pulls the sword Excalibur from a stone.
Once confronted by the sword's power, Arthur joins a mysterious young woman named Guinevere to fight against the tyrant Vortigern, who has stolen his birthright.
The new trailer reveals Ritchie's energetic, Game of Thrones-style take on the legend, complete with giant elephants, dragons, swordplay and even a Led Zeppelin track (Babe I'm Gonna Leave You).
It also delves deeper into young Arthur's gritty life as a street kid, with scenes of dingy alleyways and brawls, while Law tells his nephew about his true identity, although he seems unwilling to step aside to let the youngster take the crown.
Ethan Anderton on Slash Film says the trailer has "officially piqued my interest" after only having "a passing interest" in Ritchie's film.
It looks "like the fantasy action of Lord of the Rings mixed with the style of Sherlock Holmes with some Gladiator thrown in there for good measure", he writes, and Ritchie's flair makes this medieval tale "feel fresh".
AV club writes that the trailer "looks bananas".
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword is released in UK cinemas on 19 May.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
How secure are royal palaces?
The Explainer Royal family's safety is back in the spotlight after the latest security breach at Windsor
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Magnificent Tudor castles and stately homes to visit this year
The Week Recommends The return of 'Wolf Hall' has sparked an uptick in visits to Britain's Tudor palaces
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
I'm a Celebrity 2024: 'utterly bereft of new ideas'?
Talking Point Coleen Rooney is the star attraction but latest iteration of reality show is a case of 'rinse and repeat'
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
The Count of Monte Cristo review: 'indecently spectacular' adaptation
The Week Recommends Dumas's classic 19th-century novel is once again given new life in this 'fast-moving' film
By The Week UK Published
-
Death of England: Closing Time review – 'bold, brash reflection on racism'
The Week Recommends The final part of this trilogy deftly explores rising political tensions across the country
By The Week UK Published
-
Sing Sing review: prison drama bursts with 'charm, energy and optimism'
The Week Recommends Colman Domingo plays a real-life prisoner in a performance likely to be an Oscars shoo-in
By The Week UK Published
-
Kaos review: comic retelling of Greek mythology starring Jeff Goldblum
The Week Recommends The new series captures audiences as it 'never takes itself too seriously'
By The Week UK Published
-
Blink Twice review: a 'stylish and savage' black comedy thriller
The Week Recommends Channing Tatum and Naomi Ackie stun in this film on the hedonistic rich directed by Zoë Kravitz
By The Week UK Published
-
Shifters review: 'beautiful' new romantic comedy offers 'bittersweet tenderness'
The Week Recommends The 'inventive, emotionally astute writing' leaves audiences gripped throughout
By The Week UK Published
-
How to do F1: British Grand Prix 2025
The Week Recommends One of the biggest events of the motorsports calendar is back and better than ever
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
Twisters review: 'warm-blooded' film explores dangerous weather
The Week Recommends The film, focusing on 'tornado wranglers', stars Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell
By The Week UK Published