Jude Law to play the villain in Guy Ritchie’s King Arthur

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Jude Law never quite hit the leading man status that everyone anticipated he would reach, but that has not stopped him from having something of a McConaussance in the last few years. Despite the high profile Watson role in Guy Ritchie‘s SHERLOCK HOLMES films, Law has been mostly appearing in smaller thrillers like Steven Soderbergh‘s CONTAGION and SIDE EFFECTS, the animated RISE OF THE GUARDIANS, the excellent DOM HEMINGWAY, and the upcoming BLACK SEA.

Law may find his stock becoming more worthwhile as a villain especially after the news that Guy Ritchie has cast him as the main antagonist in KNIGHTS OF THE ROUNDTABLE: KING ARTHUR. There is no word on who exactly Law will be playing, but he will be going opposite Charlie Hunnam as Arthur Pendragon, the future king of Camelot.

Variety also reports that Idris Elba, who was cast as Arthur’s mentor, has dropped out of the production due to contract issues and the studio is currently searching for someone to fill that role before production can get underway. KNIGHTS OF THE ROUNDTABLE: KING ARTHUR is planned as the first in a six film series. At this point it is unknown if Jude Law will appear over the entire franchise or just this first chapter.

I like Jude Law, especially in antihero or villain mode. His work with Ritchie on SHERLOCK HOLMES has shown there is room for edge in Law’s portrayals and hopefully that comes into this project. We will find out when the film opens on July 22, 2016.