The King of Camelot is staying out of the summer heat.
Knights of the Roundtable: King Arthur has been pushed back from July 22, 2016, to February 17, 2017.
The film will be directed by Guy Ritchie (Sherlock Holmes), and takes place soon after a young Arthur (Charlie Hunnam) pulls the fabled sword Excalibur from stone, giving him the right to be king. Arthur soon becomes the leader of a rebellion seeking to end the tyrannical rule of Vortigen (Jude Law), the man who murdered Arthur’s royal family.
Besides Hunnam and Law, the film co-stars Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey, Djimon Hounsou, and Eric Bana.
Hunnam posing as Arthur for Entertainment Weekly
This swapped release date was most likely done by Warner Bros. (the film’s distributor) to ensure that King Arthur will not be forgotten amongst a busy summer blockbuster season. Specifically, heavy-hitters Star Trek Beyond and Ice Age 5 are currently scheduled for July 22.
2015 was a dismal year for Warner Bros., as the studio released a number of flops including Jupiter Ascending, Pan, and Guy Ritchie’s last film, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Does this new February release date ensure success for Arthur? Well have to wait and see. It doesn’t help that Bad Boys 3 and The Maze Runner: The Death Cure are also scheduled for the 17th as well. Only time will tell.
Knights of the Roundtable: King Arthur now rides into theaters on February 17, 2017.