The legend of Sir Gawain never looked quite so scary. A24 has released the first trailer for David Lowery’s The Green Knight, and it has all the trappings of the trippy, slow-burn psychological horror films the studio is famous for.
Things are off to an unsettling start already as the teaser opens with the haloed head of Sir Gawain (Dev Patel) bursting into flame as he sits atop a throne, holding an orb and sceptre. A traveling puppet show (with backdrops reminiscent of the creepy tapestries from Midsommar) acts out the legend as Sir Gawain laments to the king and queen that he fears he’s “not meant for greatness.” Embarking on a quest through the bleak, fog-swept landscape with just an extremely metal battle-axe, he encounters a tied-up skeleton, an ominous tarot session, submerged skulls, a little girl in a bear head, and a giant, green-skinned monster known only as the Green Knight. A24 aficionados will also notice The Witch alums Kate Dickie as the queen and Ralph Ineson as the big GK.
Here’s the official synopsis, from A24:
An epic fantasy adventure based on the timeless Arthurian legend, The Green Knight tells the story of Sir Gawain (Dev 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. From visionary filmmaker David Lowery comes a fresh and bold spin on a classic tale from the knights of the round table.
The Green Knight also stars Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton, Sarita Choudhury, Sean Harris, and Barry Keoghan. It arrives in theaters this summer.
