David Farnor | On 26, Oct 2018

Netflix’s Outlaw King arrives this November, and a new trailer sets the stage for the movie’s brutal, gripping action.

Directed by David Mackenzie, the drama tells the untold, true story of Robert The Bruce who transformed from defeated nobleman to reluctant King and to outlaw hero over the course of an extraordinary year. Forced into battle in order to save his family, his people and his country from the oppressive English occupation of medieval Scotland, Robert seizes the Scottish crown and rallies a ragtag group of men to face off against the wrath of the world’s strongest army lead by the ferocious King Edward 1 and his volatile son, the Prince of Wales.

Written by Mackenzie (Young Adam), Bash Doran (Boardwalk Empire), James MacInnes, Mark Bomback, plus Scottish playwright David Harrower, the film stars Chris Pine as Robert, alongside Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Nocturnal Animals), Florence Pugh (Lady Macbeth), Tony Curran (Sons of Anarchy), Stephen Dillane (Game of Thrones) and Billy Howle (On Chesil Beach).

The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, but Mackenzie has since recut the film to trim it down by 20 minutes.

“This sprawling epic in its final form feels lean, mean and up for it,” we wrote in our review of that final version, which premiered at the London Film Festival. “Violent, brutal and thrilling, Netflix’s Robert the Bruce biopic is a historical epic with heft – and a cracking lead turn from Chris Pine.”

Outlaw King premieres on Netflix on Friday 9th November. Here’s the new trailer:

 

Outlaw King is available on Netflix UK, as part of an £9.99 monthly subscription.

 

Trailer: Outlaw King set for November release

20th August 2018

“Revenge can be a curse. it can also be a weapon.” That’s the advice given to Robert the Bruce (Chris Pine) in Netflix’s new film, Outlaw King, which is charging into cinemas and onto the streaming service this November.

Directed by David Mackenzie, the drama tells the untold, true story of Robert The Bruce who transformed from defeated nobleman to reluctant King and to outlaw hero over the course of an extraordinary year. Forced into battle in order to save his family, his people and his country from the oppressive English occupation of medieval Scotland, Robert seizes the Scottish crown and rallies a ragtag group of men to face off against the wrath of the world’s strongest army lead by the ferocious King Edward 1 and his volatile son, the Prince of Wales.

Written by Mackenzie (Young Adam), Bash Doran (Boardwalk Empire), James MacInnes, Mark Bomback, plus Scottish playwright David Harrower, the film co-stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Nocturnal Animals), Florence Pugh (Lady Macbeth), Tony Curran (Sons of Anarchy), Stephen Dillane (Game of Thrones) and Billy Howle (On Chesil Beach).

You can get your first proper look at that cast in action with the new trailer for the film, which gives an impressive sense of scale and sets the mood firmly to brooding. Outlaw King will premiere on 9th November. Here’s the video:

 

First look: Chris Pine as Robert the Bruce in Netflix’s Outlaw King

9th September 2017

Principal photography has officially begun in the UK on director David Mackenzie’s Outlaw King – and we’ve got our first picture of Chris Pine and his great big bushy beard in action.

An epic, period drama about the legendary King of Scots Robert the Bruce, the film reunites director David Mackenzie with Chris Pine following their Oscar-nominated film, Hell or High Water. Pine stars as Robert The Bruce, alongside Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Nocturnal Animals), Florence Pugh (Lady Macbeth), Tony Curran (Sons of Anarchy), Stephen Dillane (Game of Thrones) and Billy Howle (On Chesil Beach).

The screenplay, which is written by Mackenzie (Young Adam), Bash Doran (Boardwalk Empire), James MacInnes, Mark Bomback, plus Scottish playwright David Harrower, takes place over the extraordinary historic year when Robert the Bruce fights to regain control having been crowned King of Scots, only to be defeated in a surprise attack and made an outlaw by the English King and his occupying forces.

“I am so happy to have the opportunity to dig deep into the story of Robert the Bruce and to discover some of the truths that often get obscured by legend. This is my sixth feature film shot in Scotland and autumn is my favourite time of year to shoot so I am excited to bring this film to light in the beautiful Scottish elements – come rain, shine, storm or snow,” says director David Mackenzie.

“I am proud that our little Glasgow based production company, Sigma films, has been able to make this film and thank Netflix for letting us do it.”

Supported by Creative Scotland, shooting will take place in historical locations in Scotland, including the last known resting place of the legendary Scottish king’s remains.

And judging by our first picture of the film, its leading man is embracing the outlaw part of the title, with the return of Chris Pine’s beard a welcome sight as the grizzly autumn evenings set in.

“I know Chris will bring intensity and flair to Robert the Bruce and his struggle to take back his country, being crowned King of Scots, then suffering a disastrous defeat and left on the run with just a handful of supporters only to claw his way, with bravery and cunning, back to victory,” adds Mackenzie. “This was an early form of guerrilla warfare against the might of a vastly bigger better resourced enemy and is one of the great comeback stories of history.”

The film is slated for release in 2018.

 

Billy Howle will be Prince to David Mackenzie’s Outlaw King

19th August 2017

Billy Howle will be the Prince to David Mackenzie’s Outlaw King.

The Netflix original film charts the story of Robert The Bruce, the king who stood up to English rule and led Scotland to freedom. Chris Pine will star as the king, reuniting with Mackenzie, who directed the actor in Hell or High Water.

Pine stars alongside Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Florence Pugh, and now, Netflix has cast another young talent: Billy Howle will play the Prince of Wales, who goes head-to-head with Robert The Bruce over the Scottish throne.

Howle can be seen in Dunkirk and The Sense of an Ending, and most recently starred with Saoirse Ronan in On Chesil Beach, which premieres at this Toronto Film Festival.

 

Florence Pugh joins Chris Pine in Netflix’s Outlaw King

7th August 2017

Netflix’s Outlaw King has found its queen: Florence Pugh.

The actress, who delivered a starmaking turn in The Falling, before going on to impress once again in Lady Macbeth, is one of Britain’s fastest rising young talents – and nothing cements a talent’s rise like being cast in a Netflix project.

The film, which was announced earlier this year, is a retelling of Robert the Bruce’s life. The king, who led Scotland to freedom from the English, is familiar to film fans, thanks to Mel Gibson’s Braveheart, but the streaming giant’s historical epic is set to paint a very different version of Robert – one that will put him at the centre of that struggle, not just with the English but also the Catholic Church.

The movie’s directed by David Mackenzie, with Chris Pine set to star as Robert, making the project an unofficial Hell or High Water reunion. The script, initially written by Mackenzie, is now being redrafted by Bash Doran (The Looming Tower), reports Deadline, with Sigma Films’ Gillian Berrie producing alongside Anonymous Content’s Richard Brown and Steve Golin.

“It’s out and about, you call me Mrs Pine,” joked Pugh on Twitter. “I mean Mrs Bruce. Mrs Bruce.”

Her attachment to the project puts this firmly at the top of our most anticipated Netflix originals. In the meantime, she will next be seen opposite Dwayne Johnson in MGM’s Fighting with My Family, and alongside Liam Neeson in Jaume Collet-Serra’s The Commuter.

 

David Mackenzie to direct Netflix Robert the Bruce film

25th April 2017

David Mackenzie is reportedly in talks to direct a new film about Robert the Bruce for Netflix.

The streaming giant, which recently hired former Universal chief Scott Stuber to head up its feature film development, is making a concerted push into original filmmaking. Since his appointment, the company has finalised a deal for Justin Lin’s new movie and was in talks for Ridley Scott’s latest. Outlaw King, as Mackenzie’s film is called, though, would mark one of the first major deals put together by Stuber.

The Hell Or High Water director would reunite with star Chris Pine for the project, with the Star Trek actor playing the Scottish king, who led his country to freedom from England’s rule. News of the project was broken by Deadline, who also report that Ben Foster is in talks to play James Douglas, the knight who became Robert’s chief adviser.

The film will reportedly aim to tell a different story to the way events were portrayed in Mel Gibson’s Braveheart, with Robert set to play a prominent role in the long campaign alongside William Wallace. There will also be a love story between the king and Queen Elizabeth de Burgh, the daughter of an England-friendly Irish noble.

Bash Doran (The Looming Tower) Jade written the first draft of the script, with Sigma Films’ Gillian Berrie on producing duties, alongside Anonymous Content’s Richard Brown and Steve Golin.

The movie marks the completion of a passion project for Mackenzie, whose star has been on the rise ever since Young Adam. After the Oscar-nominated Hell or High Water, Mackenzie has become a highly sought-after helmer, attached to projects such as The Brotherhood, potentially starring Michael Fassbender and Margot Robbie.

Reuniting with Pine and Foster, and telling a story from his home country, though, has put Outlaw King at the top of his list – and also brought Netflix running. Filming on the project is slated to start in August and the streaming giant’s backing would enable a late summer production, before Scotland’s days become shorter in the autumn.

Netflix has not officially commented on the report.

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