Arthurian Legend Comes To Life In The Green Knight Trailer

A trailer for The Green Knight dropped this week. The fantasy stars Dev Patel as a knight of Arthurian legend who sets out to challenge a mysterious otherworldly figure. The film will be distributed by A24, the studio behind critical hits like The Lighthouse and Midsommar. Directed by David Lowery, this is a change of pace from his intimate dramas like A Ghost Story. Alicia Vikander and Joel Edgerton will also appear in the film, with special effects coming from Weta Digital.

Sir Gawain and The Green Knight Do Battle In The Teaser Trailer

There has been a slew of film and television over the years that have paid homage to King Arthur and his knights of the round table. But it is refreshing to see a new adaptation of the mythology that does not focus on Arthur himself. Patel plays Sir Gawain in the new film, the nephew of King Arthur (Sean Harris). The film is based on the olde English poem Sir Gawain and The Green Knight. The poem tells the tale of a mysterious figure who comes to Arthur’s court and lays down a challenge for any who might face him. Sir Gawain cuts off the head of the Green Knight, who calmly picks it back up and walks away with a request that Gawain meet him on New Year’s Day for another fight.

Image via Screengrab

It remains to be seen how much of the original poem will be translated into the new film. However it does seem clear that The Green Knight will amp up the fantastical elements of the mythology. The appearance of the Green Knight in the trailer evokes even older Celtic mythology, that of the Green Man, an ancient nature spirit that symbolizes growth and rebirth. There are also giant hands larger than hillsides, strange man-bear beasts, and several deeply creepy shots of skulls and Gawain himself on fire. The film may be a re-telling of a familiar classic tale, but in a way it looks like a re-telling of many ancient stories all rolled into one. It will be interesting to see how these ancient stories play for a modern audience.

Image via Screengrab

The Green Knight will be out on May 29, 2020. For more movie news, be sure to follow Comic Years on Facebook and Twitter today.

Arthurian Legend Comes To Life In The Green Knight Trailer
Emily O'Donnell