- Title: Guy Ritchie's action-packed movie about King Arthur hits Hollywood
- Date: 9th May 2017
- Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (MAY 8, 2017) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** 'KNIGHTS' IN ARMOR RIDING HORSES DOWN HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD KNIGHTS ON RED CARPET CHARLIE HUNNAM POSING WITH KNIGHT VARIOUS OF HUNNAM POSING FOR PHOTOS AND SPEAKING WITH REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHARLIE HUNNAM, ACTOR PLAYING THE PART OF ARTHUR, SAYING: "John Boorman's "Excaliber" (1981) which is another rendition of the Arthurian legend, was what started me on the journey of wanting to become an actor when I was six or seven, as all kids tend to do when they get obsessed with a film and watch it over and over and over again. Between being 6,7,8, I must have watched this film 50, conservatively, possible even one hundred times." HUNNAM SPEAKING WITH KEVIN TSUJIHARA, CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF WARNER BROS. HUNNAM AND TSUJIHARA POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHARLIE HUNNAM, ACTOR PLAYING THE PART OF ARTHUR, SAYING: "Like you say, if you are going to tell a story that has been told before you have to come in with a vision that makes it original and fresh. What we thought was important was to make Arthur a little bit more accessible. Historically, he is this man who is aware of this nobility within him and has aspirations to do something of significance with his life. That's a little bit harder to relate to. We thought it was more interesting to make him an everyman just like you or I. And all of a sudden he is given this sort of grand destiny that was sort of thrust upon him and he doesn't want it and doesn't think he has the requisite skill set to rise to the challenge." POSTER OF HUNNAM AS ARTHUR
- Embargoed: 23rd May 2017 06:13
- Keywords: Hollywood premiere movie legend King Arthur Guy RItchie Charlie Hunnam
- Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES; UNKNOWN FILM LOCATIONS
- City: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES; UNKNOWN FILM LOCATIONS
- Country: USA
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Film
- Reuters ID: LVA0016G489XP
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A dozen horse-mounted 'knight's' clad in full armor roared and flashed their weapons down Hollywood Boulevard on Monday (May 8) to kick off the world premiere of "King Arthur: The Legend of the Sword" as hundreds of onlookers snapped photos of the spectacle.
The red carpet filled up quickly with stars eager to see director's Guy Ritchie's (Snatch/Sherlock Holmes) rendition of the classic tale of King Arthur and his mythical sword Excaliber.
Ritchie's gritty action-packed version follows Arthur, played by actor Charlie Hunnam, rise from an orphaned street urchin raised in a brothel to the King of England. The movie weaves magic, street fighting and epic battle scenes into a tale of how a reluctant Arthur pulls the legendary sword Excaliber from a stone and, with the help of his friends, comes to the realization that needs to fight to take back the throne stolen by his uncle Vortigen (played by Jude Law) who murdered his parents.
"If you are going to tell a story that has been told before you have to come in with a vision that makes it original and fresh," Hunnam told Reuters at the Hollywood premiere. He credits the 1981 rendition of the Arthur Legend, "Excaliber" with his desire to become an actor.
Hunnam adds that unlike other versions of the tale, his character is a reluctant hero.
It was that narrative twist that director Guy Ritchie says will allow audiences relate to an age-old legend in a new way.
The movie hits theaters on May 12. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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