King Arthur: Legend of the Sword is looking likely for a weak debut at the box office this weekend when it lands at American theaters.
Guy Ritchie’s reimagining of the classic tale of a mythical English king certainly has a lot of style about, and a top tier cast that includes Charlie Hunnam and Jude Law.
But that doesn’t look like it will be enough for the movie to prove a success financially. King Arthur has a hefty budget of $175 million behind it but if projections hold out, it will only see $25 million returned this weekend.
That’s a weak effort by any metric, and it does seem surprising that in this day and age a film like this would see such tremendous backing. Obviously WB has great faith in the venture (it was originally announced as the first in a potential six-film franchise), and only time will tell what its overall takings will be.
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword will debut in the UK on May 19th and will also bow this weekend in China. The powers at be will be hoping international numbers save the picture from what looks to be a miserable weekend Stateside.
SEE ALSO: Read our reviews for King Arthur: Legend of the Sword here and here
Acclaimed filmmaker Guy Ritchie brings his dynamic style to the epic fantasy action adventure “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword.” Starring Charlie Hunnam in the title role, the film is an iconoclastic take on the classic Excalibur myth, tracing Arthur’s journey from the streets to the throne.
When the child Arthur’s father is murdered, Vortigern (Jude Law), Arthur’s uncle, seizes the crown. Robbed of his birthright and with no idea who he truly is, Arthur comes up the hard way in the back alleys of the city. But once he pulls the sword from the stone, his life is turned upside down and he is forced to acknowledge his true legacy…whether he likes it or not.
Starring with Hunnam (FX’s “Sons of Anarchy”) and Oscar nominee Law (“Cold Mountain,” “The Talented Mr. Ripley”) are Astrid Bergès-Frisbey (“Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides”) as Mage; Oscar nominee Djimon Hounsou (“Blood Diamond,” “In America”) as Bedivere; Aidan Gillen (HBO’s “Game of Thrones”) as Goosefat Bill; and Eric Bana (“Star Trek”) as Arthur’s father, King Uther Pendragon.
