Who Is 'The Green Knight'? Watch A Brief Oral History Of The Arthurian Legend
A24 is finally bringing their fantasy epic The Green Knight to theaters later this summer. It's been sitting on a shelf for awhile now due to the coronavirus pandemic, but thankfully, the studio decided to hold it back for us to experience on the biggest screen possible. However, some of you out there may be wondering, "Who is The Green Knight?"
Before the movie, you can learn about the history of The Green Knight thanks to a new mini-oral history narrated by actor Ralph Ineson, who you may remember from The Witch and Game of Thrones.
Who is The Green Knight?
The Green Knight is based on a 14th century poem called Sir Gawain and The Green Knight. No one knows who truly wrote it, but The Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien described it as "a window of many-colored glass looking back into the middle ages."
The movie may be called The Green Knight, but this is very much a tale about Sir Gawain, who will be played by Dev Patel. Though Gawain is one of the Knights at the Roundtable and the nephew of the great King Arthur, he's still looking for an opportunity to prove himself. Squaring off with the Green Knight could be his chance at earning that honor.
Don't worry if you want to save the story for the theatrical experience, because the video doesn't dig into too much detail, and it honestly doesn't completely explain who the Green Knight is anyway. But the moral is a familiar one from stories of the Middle Ages, where honor is meant to be a guiding light through the darkest of our journeys. Even knowing that, it won't take away from director David Lowery's visual feast in recreating this ancient tale.
The Green Knight also stars Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton, Sarita Choudhury, Sean Harris, Kate Dickie, Barry Keoghan, and, of course, Ralph Ineson.
An epic fantasy adventure based on the timeless Arthurian legend, THE GREEN KNIGHT tells the story of Sir Gawain (Dev Patel), King Arthur's reckless and headstrong nephew, who embarks on a daring quest to confront the eponymous Green Knight, a gigantic emerald-skinned stranger and tester of men. Gawain contends with ghosts, giants, thieves, and schemers in what becomes a deeper journey to define his character and prove his worth in the eyes of his family and kingdom by facing the ultimate challenger. From visionary filmmaker David Lowery comes a fresh and bold spin on a classic tale from the knights of the round table.
The Green Knight arrives in theaters on July 30, 2021.