The Green Knight Stars on the Fantastical Arthurian Adventure

Since the earliest days of cinema, the legends of King Arthur have been brought to life on the big-screen a countless number of times, with these stories often leaning into the more exciting elements of the lore and the action-packed elements of such legends. David Lowery's The Green Knight, on the other hand, focuses less on Arthur and more on Gawain, delivering audiences a much more existential reflection on the tenets of being a knight when one is faced with their own demise. Not only will the experience be more layered and complex than what audiences might be expecting, but the project was a unique challenge for the stars as well. The Green Knight lands in theaters on July 30th.

"It really is a full meal of a film, in a way. As an actor, I don't feel like I have much precision so I really have to submit myself to the process and, in this way, the whole experience of being in Ireland in the wilderness, being alone for that long, it kind of put me into a very meditative state and, for someone so hyperactive, it was quite beautiful," Dev Patel explained to ComicBook.com. "But it was a really nourishing journey, to go on something like this, and really feel fulfilled as a human. A big credit is to David and the way he looks at things, there are so many beautiful moments off-set. I remember one day we found a sort of nest on the floor and we were just marveling at it together for 20 minutes and talking about it. David's that type of guy, it was just a really beautiful environment to live in for a while."

An epic fantasy adventure based on the timeless Arthurian legend, The Green Knight tells the story of Sir Gawain (Patel), King Arthur's reckless and headstrong nephew, who embarks on a daring quest to confront the eponymous Green Knight, a gigantic emerald-skinned stranger and tester of men. Gawain contends with ghosts, giants, thieves, and schemers in what becomes a deeper journey to define his character and prove his worth in the eyes of his family and kingdom by facing the ultimate challenger.

Funnily enough, co-star Joel Edgerton had previously starred in King Arthur, where he played Gawain, yet he had no apprehension about returning to such a world, given how drastically different this project was from his earlier outing.

"I think I knew by reading the script and talking to David and watching David's other work that this is an entirely different beast," Edgerton pointed out. "We were making a real commercial, action-driven Arthurian film with King Arthur back in 2003 in Ireland, mind you. And I think the location of Ireland was really the only similarity. When you look at the films side by side, they're completely different animals. I think the other common aspect for me is the idea of living up ... Giving in and identifying with my childhood fantasies of being in a period movie of this nature, was tweaked again, but different forms, completely."

The Green Knight hits theaters on July 30th.

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