Brandishing critically acclaimed titles such as Robert Eggers’ The Witch, Ari Aster’s Midsommer and Peter Strickland’s In Fabric, distribution company A24 is becoming a staple for unconventional horror. Proving they have no shortage of surprises, the company just revealed a first look at their upcoming release of The Green Knight. And it’s nightmarish appeal couldn’t be more enticing.
Visionary director David Lowery (A Ghost Story) brings to life the 14th-century Arthurian legend of Sir Gawain and his fated quest to becoming one of the most recognized knights of King Arthur’s court. Being a medieval tale, this story has a dark nature … a nature Lowery appears to fully embrace in unexpected, spine-chilling ways.
Opening with Gawain (Dev Patel: Slumdog Millionaire) sitting upon a throne while words of honor and courage set the tone, the knight’s head bursts into flames. Transitioning to a makeshift puppet show acting out the story about to unfold, Gawain approaches the king (Sean Harris: Mission Impossible – Fallout) and queen (Kate Dickie: The Witch) expressing his self-held belief of unworthiness. This belief is tested as he undertakes a quest challenging every fiber of his being. What commences is a glimpse of mystics, monsters, giants and a series of eerie imagery suggesting a strong psychological genre element that should be a sight to behold.
The Green Knight also stars Joel Edgerton (It Comes At Night, The Great Gatsby) and Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina). The epic quest begins this summer.
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