With just a few weeks away from the release of King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, some are wondering if the ambitious fantasy film will deliver. But if early test screenings are any indication, Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow could have little to worry about.
The film hosted a series of preview screenings yesterday – which were branded as a ‘King for a Day’ event – and ended up earning more than 30,000 attendees, according to Variety. AMC Theatres, which hosted the screenings nationwide, ended up having to increase the number of theaters from 150 to 200, after being met with a flurry of RSVPs. In certain locations, some guests had to be turned away as the theaters were already at full capacity.
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The ‘King for a Day’ event included a live Q&A with cast members Charlie Hunnam and Djimon Hounsou, as well as director Guy Richie. In addition, fans at the screenings received free swag, including an exclusive hat and poster.
While, of course, free screenings are not always an indication of actual box office performance, the hype surrounding Legend of the Sword could have good results. Considering the fact that the film has an estimated budget of $102 million, such word of mouth and positive reception could help the film become a success.
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword is directed by Guy Ritchie, from a screenplay by Joby Harold and Guy Ritchie & Lionel Wigram, based on a story by David Dobkin and Joby Harold. King Arthur: Legend of the Sword is produced by Akiva Goldsman, Joby Harold, Tory Tunnell, Steve Clark-Hall, Guy Ritchie, Lionel Wigram and executive produced by David Dobkin and Bruce Berman.
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword opens in theaters May 12, 2017. It currently has a 3.07-of-5 in the ComicBook Anticipation Ratings by users, good for No. 40 prior to release.
