In the interest of full-transparency, I'd like to begin this article with a disclaimer. Arthurian legends are my jam, and Disney's THE SWORD IN THE STONE is my favorite among their animated classics. With that in mind, please understand that I am a soft sell for Joe Cornish's latest fantasy adventure epic, THE KID THAT WOULD BE KING. I literally giggled and fawned over this trailer, as the movie looks to be every bit as cool as I'd been hoping for.
Today, 20th Century Fox has unveiled a delightful trailer for THE KID THAT WOULD BE KING. Directed by ATTACK THE BLOCK helmer Joe Cornish, this upcoming Arthurian epic presents a modern day spin on Excalibur, the legendary sword of King Arthur. In the film, Louis Ashbourne Serkis (son of Andy) stars as Alexander Elliot, an unassuming young man who finds Excalibur, and pulls the sword from a construction site of all places. Upon lifting the sword from its place of slumber, Alexander triggers an oncoming apocalypse led by Rebecca Ferguson's (LIFE, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT) malevolent Morgana. With the fate of the world in peril, Alexander is forced to assemble his own Knights of the Round Table, as part of an effort to save his kingdom from complete and total annihilation.
In addition to directing the film, Cornish also penned the script. Meanwhile, starring alongside Serkis and Fergusson for the high fantasy escapade are Dean Chaumoo, Tom Taylor (THE DARK TOWER, THE LAST KINGDOM), Rhianna Dorris (STAGE SCHOOL), Angus Imrie (FATHER BROWN, POND LIFE), and Sir Patrick Stewart (STAR TREK, LOGAN).
For my coin, THE KID THAT WOULD BE KING looks like a heck of a good time. I mean, the movie's got a dashing and dreadfully-dressed Merlin, zombie knights, mythical creatures in bath tubs, high speed car chases and much more! It all appears to come together with that fine Joe Cornish polish as well, a filmmaker who's already delivered a rock-solid sci-fi romp with ATTACK THE BLOCK. Hand me a sword and count me in for this one.
THE KID THAT WOULD BE KING will open in theaters everywhere on January 25, 2019.