Netflix Original film trailer builds anticipation for “The King.”

By Jaime O'Toole

The first trailer for the Netflix Original movie “The King,” starring Timothée Chalamet was released on Aug. 27. Fans should anticipate the film, as it is an adaptation of William Shakesphere’s famous plays “Henry IV, Part 1,” “Henry IV, Part 2,” and “Henry V.” “The King” will premier Nov. 1. Chalamet will star as King Henry V alongside actors Robert Pattinson and Lily Rose Depp, as well as Joel Edgerton, Sean Harris and Ben Mendelsohn in the medieval epic. 

After Henry V’s father dies, he is crowned king. Upholding this role, he must not only process his emotions, but also “navigate palace politics and the war his father left behind,” according to IMDb. 

“The King” will be Chalamet’s first film of 2019 and his first project since “Beautiful Boy”– the movie that led him to his 2019 Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture.

The opening scene of the trailer displays the distasteful beheading of a wrongdoer as King Henry watches. The quick close up angle of Chalamet’s face shows him glancing down, unable to accept the death he must condone as blurred-out heads float behind him. This  gives the viewers the impression there will be eyes following King Henry’s every royal move, allowing them to experience the pressure being king must induce. 

“I’ve been forced to rely upon the counsel of men whose loyalty I question every waking moment,” King Henry admits to his peer, Falstaff.  

After explaining there are only followers and foes for the king, Falstaff decides he will go with the king. This careful choice of lines in a two-minute trailer could foreshadow a bond the kingdom does not operate well on, leaving viewers guessing what could come from this parallel. The answer certainly makes an appearance when Falstaff’s dirty face reaches for air above an army of knights attacking him. 

Similar to the choice of lines, the meticulous placing of lighting over Chalamet’s face when Falstaff says he will come with him illuminates the hope on the king’s face, communicating the feeling to viewers without explicitly saying it. 

Social classes in the kingdom are displayed in costumes. The lower class gazes at the king and his knights on their horses approaching war, wearing dull scraps for clothes as the knights shine in their armor.  The king looks down toward them and keeps moving forward. The subtle height of these people paint their diverse backgrounds.

Chalamet’s acting background has been nothing shy of successful. Viewers can expect another great performance from the 23 year old actor.

In 2017, Chalamet gained a lot of attention from his small role in “Lady Bird” as the bad-boy love interest of protagonist Christine, played by Saoirse Ronan. Chalamet also gained critical acclaim from critics such as Ty Burr, Bill Goodykoontz, and Chris Vognar for his performance in the film adaption for the book “Call Me By Your Name”; the movie obtained 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. 

 “Lady Bird” received 78.6 million dollars at the Box Office, while “Call Me By Your Name” earned $41.9 million, according to Box Office Mojo. 

Chalamet was nominated for the 2018 Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Drama Motion Picture and the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in “Call Me By Your Name.” Following his time in the spotlight, Chalamet played a troubled teen addicted to opiods in the 2018 movie “Beautiful Boy.” The movie received 16.5 million dollars and led to his nomination for the 2019 Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture. 

With nearly three million views on the trailer so far, just six days after the release, “The King” is already on its way to the spotlight. Viewers can expect Chalamet’s performance to be nothing shy of brilliant, in the same light of his previous work.