The King (2019)

7.3R140 minDirector: David Michôd

2019 film directed by David Michôd

The King is a 2019 epic historical drama film directed by David Michôd, based on several plays from William Shakespeare's Henriad. The screenplay was written by Michôd and Joel Edgerton, who both produced the film with Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, and Liz Watts. The King includes an ensemble cast led by Timothée Chalamet as the Prince of Wales and later King Henry V of England, alongside Joel Edgerton, Sean Harris, Lily-Rose Depp, Robert Pattinson, and Ben Mendelsohn.

The film focuses on the rise of Henry V as king after his father dies as he also must navigate palace politics, the war his father left behind, and the emotional strings of his past life. The King premiered at the 76th Venice International Film Festival on 2 September 2019, and was released digitally via Netflix on 11 October 2019. The film received favourable reviews from film critics but, despite being presented as an adaptation of Shakespeare's Henriad rather than as a historical documentary film, was criticised by historians for historical inaccuracies and for deviating from the original plays.

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is The King about?
The King (2019) — Hal (Timothée Chalamet), wayward prince and reluctant heir to the English throne, has turned his back on royal life and is living among the people. But when his tyrannical father dies, Hal is crowned King Henry V and is forced to embrace the life he had previously tried to escape
Is The King based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is The King scary?
Content rating: R. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.