‘The Green Knight’ Arises in the UK with a September Release Date
After being forced to cancel its initial release for August 6th, The Green Knight marks its theatrical and Amazon Prime release on the 24th September 2021. The fantasy epic was pulled from its original release due to COVID concerns. Although there was a digital screening and VOD release by A24 on the 19th August, this was mostly available on the American-region catalogues for streaming giants such as Google and Apple, etc. Despite the setbacks, this is a momentous turning point for the highly anticipated feature, which had viewers ‘foaming at the mouth’ since the release of its trailer back in May.
The Green Knight is an adaption of the Arthurian poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, which follows the knight Gawain (Dev Patel) on his quest to fulfil the promise of trading blows with the titular character. The film has a strong focus on the physical and emotional challenges Gawain faces on his journey. The poem is brought to the big screen as a medieval fantasy by writer and director David Lowery, the mind behind supernatural film A Ghost Story. Patel is flanked by a stellar supporting cast, which includes Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton and Sarita Choudary.
Much of the praise for The Green Knight has centred on its direction, thematic focus, visuals, and strong performances, with particular focus on Patel. This doesn’t come as a surprise as Patel is widely regarded as a commendable actor following his leading roles in films such as dystopian sci-fi flick Chappie, as well as Lion and Hotel Mumbai. The film is also celebrated for staying true to the roots of the source material and has been touted as a fine entry for the modern fantasy film canon.
As a film that has managed to carry the momentum of its trailers and has lived to serve what it promised, The Green Knight is sure to be one to keep an eye on this month.