It was back in 2010 when word first broke that Sherlock Holmes and Snatch helmer Guy Ritchie was interested in bringing to the big screen a faithful adaptation of Arthurian legend. Although the project seemed to fall by the wayside, Deadline today reports that attempts are being made to get it back on track and that plans for a franchise based on King Arthur’s exploits may ultimately become six separate feature films.
Joby Harold has drafted the script for the first film and will produce alongside Akiva Goldsman, Tory Tunnell and Lionel Wigram. An earlier iteration of the project was to feature a screenplay by John Hodge (Trainspotting) and was to be based directly on Thomas Mallory’s 15th century work “Le Morte d’Arthur” (which itself is divided into eight different books). As Mallory’s compilation of tales is pretty much the definitive source material for Arthurian legend, it’s a good bet that Harold’s screenplay is similarly influenced.
Ritchie’s next, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., stars Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki, Jared Harris, Hugh Grant and Luca Calvani and is planned to hit theaters later this year.
