‘King Arthur’ Casting Updates: Guy Ritchie Adds Swedish Actor Mikael Persbrandt For Unknown Villainous Character

With “Sons of Anarchy” Charlie Hunnam playing the lead role as King Arthur, director Guy Ritchie recently cast Swedish actor Mikael Persbrandt for a villainous role. Written by Joby Harold, “Knights of the Roundtable: King Arthur” follows the story of Arthur Pendragon and his legendary knights of the kingdom of Camelot.

Slated to be released on July 22, the reimagining of the classic story is set to feature Persbrandt after he played shapeshifter Beorn in Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit” films – “The Battle of the Five Armies” and “The Desolation of Smaug.” The actor is also known for his recurring role as the no-nonsense police offer Gunvald Larsson in Martin Beck’s movies, the role is the actor’s major breakthrough

The 51-year-old star also won the Guldbagge Award for Best Actor in a leading role twice for his outstanding portrayal in “Everlasting Moments” in 2009 and “Nobody Owns Me” in 2014. Repped by Open Entertainment, Persbrandt’s favourite actors include Gary Oldman, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and Sean Penn.

Warner Bros. “Knights of the Roundtable: King Arthur” also stars “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Strangers Tide” actress Astrid Berges-Frisbey as Guinevere and “The Finest Hours” actor Eric Bana as Arthur’s father, Uther Pendragon. “Taken” star Liam Neeson was rumoured to play Bana’s role but the actor’s involvement to the show was confirmed in February.

“The studio hopes the film can kick-start another franchise for Warner Bros., with the story to be told over six instalments,” according to Variety. “For Bana, the role isn’t the biggest, but the studio and Ritchie were always looking for a big name for the part to make a splash for the time he is onscreen.”

Meanwhile, Jude Law was also circling an unknown villainous role in the upcoming movie but there is no news if it’s the same role as Persbrandt. Details of the plot are still being kept under wraps so fans of the classic movie will just have to wait for more details about the cast.

“King Arthur” will be produced by Ritchie, Lionel Wigram, Akiva Goldsman and Tory Tunnell. Niija Kuykendall and Cate Adams are overseeing for the studio.

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