Another tale of Arthur, Merlin and Camelot, though this time without high school battles [The Kid Who Would Be King] or David Beckham [King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword].
I do love King Arthur films, the less historically accurate the better. This time Arthur doesn’t look very kingly, though he does sound Welsh.
In this 856th re-telling, Arthur is older and absent, away fighting wars, leaving his queen and his country vulnerable to his illegitimate son Mordred. Arthur must return and face the threats…
Here’s the synopsis:
The year 463 AD. England is a land divided. A land in need of a legend. King Arthur has been absent for five long years, fighting a war abroad that has stricken his knights, left his throne defenceless and his queen at the mercy of Mordred, his illegitimate son. He must return home fast, facing dark and dangerous threats from all sides. But as he fights to preserve Camelot and all that he holds dear, the toughest conflict will be with himself. Guided by the legendary wizard Merlin, Arthur must strive to become the king that his nation needs. It is the story of a legend, before the legend was told.
Though whether Arthur even existed is a moot point. I’m going with YES!, as on a visit to Wales to check out the ex-family seat, a local historian told us we could be traced back to Arthur’s dad. Maybe he tells everyone that, though I can tell you that if it is true, the family has become steadily less influential down the generations and I myself have yet to cause the downfall of a kingdom. There’s still time though, I suppose.
Arthur & Merlin stars Richard Short (Mary Kills People) as Arthur, The Night King himself Richard Brake (Game of Thrones, Batman Begins) as Merlin, Stella Stocker as Guinevere and Joel Phillimore as Mordred. It’s directed by Giles Anderson, who also co-wrote with Jonny Grant and Simon Cotton.
Signature Entertainment presents Arthur & Merlin: Knights of Camelot on DVD & Digital HD from 13 July.