'The King' Trailer: Timothee Chalamet Becomes A Man And A Monarch In David Michôd’s Shakespeare Adaptation

It is said in “Henry V” that “men of few words are the best men.” Actions really do speak louder than words and the sooner that one understands that, the sooner one can put themselves into action to enhance the lives of all those around them. Somebody can talk until they’re blue in the face about all the improvements they may make, but it’s a waste of air if nothing is accomplished. Nonetheless, it’s a simple piece of advice that good leaders take to heart.

A young King Henry V himself would certainly benefit from such advice as director David Michod (“Animal Kingdom”) tells his story and that of his countrymen and others in “The King.” Michod extracts elements from William Shakespeare’s so-called “Henriad”—specifically from “Henry IV, Part 1,” “Henry IV, Part 2,” and “Henry V”—for the film—co-written by himself and Joel Edgerton. Brad Pitt also joins Michod and Edgerton as producers of the project.

Here’s the official synopsis:

Hal (Timothée Chalamet), wayward prince and reluctant heir to the English throne, has turned his back on royal life and is living among the people. But when his tyrannical father dies, Hal is crowned King Henry V and is forced to embrace the life he had previously tried to escape. Now the young king must navigate the palace politics, chaos and war his father left behind, and the emotional strings of his past life — including his relationship with his closest friend and mentor, the aging alcoholic knight, John Falstaff (Joel Edgerton). Directed by David Michôd and co-written by Michôd and Edgerton, THE KING co-stars Sean Harris, Ben Mendelsohn, Robert Pattinson, and Lily-Rose Depp.

Hal—aka Henry V—is portrayed by Oscar-nominated (“Call Me by Your Name”) and exceptional young actor Timothee Chalamet. He is joined by a terrific cast that includes the likes of Edgerton as Falstaff, Ben Mendelsohn as previous ruler and father Henry IV, Robert Pattinson as The Dauphin of France, Sean Harris (“Mission Impossible – Rogue Nation” & “Mission Impossible – Fallout”) as Michael Williams, and Thomasin McKenzie (“Leave No Trace”) as Henry V’s younger sister Philippa of England.

“The King”—distributed by Netflix—is set to have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on September 2 and will release sometime later this fall. Check out a first look at the film below and bow down as he takes the throne.